Meredith Burgmann was born in Beecroft, Sydney on 26 July 1947. She has Master of Arts from Sydney University in Foreign Policy (1973) and a Doctorate from Macquarie University in Environmental Activism and Industrial Relations (1981). During her university study she was involved in political activity against the Vietnam War and Apartheid. She joined the Australian Labor Party in 1971. From 1973-93 Burgmann taught industrial relations and politics at Macquarie University and was active in the Academics' Union becoming the first woman president of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). She was a member of the Labour Council of NSW from 1978-91 and ACTU Congress from 1983-89. On 25 May 1991 she became a Member of the NSW Legislative Council, and was President of the NSW Legislative Council from 1999 until her retirement on 2 Mar 2007 . She is a Consultant for the United Nations Development Program.