Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, she was co-ordinator of the Conservation Council of WA for 16 years before becoming a Greens Senator in 2005, leaving the Senate in September 2021. During her time in the Senate she was spokesperson on many portfolio areas including social justice, First Nations issues, health, mental health and disability. She chaired the Senate Committee Affairs References Committee for a number of years which conducted inquiries into issues such as Newstart, ParentsNext, Robodebt, Forced Adoptions, Institutional Abuse of People with Disability and Aged Care. Rachel now works in the social services sector.

Relevant recent outputs:

• Siewert, R. (2019). ‘Young People Are Suffering, It’s Time To Work Together To Raise Newstart.’ Junkee News, July 18.

• Siewert, R. (2015). ‘The Cashless Welfare Card Is Patronising, Ideological, And Undignified.’ New Matilda, October 20.

• Siewert, R. (2014). ‘Disadvantage the real threat to our children’s futures’. SBS News, May 22.