Janelle was born in 1954 in Ipswich in Queensland. She left school at age 13.
Janelle completed a Diploma of Teaching from Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education, Lismore, and later, a Bachelor of Legal Studies at Macquarie University. She has worked as a community consultant and advocate from 1990 to 1995, where she was co-ordinator of a women’s refuge in Lismore, and as a solicitor from 1993 to 1994, where she mostly did pro bono work for organisations including the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund. From 2004 to 2007, Janelle served as a senior Political Adviser to former President, Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Cooperation, and Minister for Defence of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta. She has also worked as an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme, founded and chaired the Australia-Myanmar Parliament Group, is a patron of the Australia-Myanmar University Constitutional Democracy Project, and is an adjunct professor at the Southern Cross University School of Law and Justice.
Janelle was elected to the NSW Legislative Council as a Labor Member in the 1995 State election. She served on the Council until 2003. In the 2007 Federal election, she was elected to the House of Representatives as a Labor Candidate for the seat of Page. Janelle served as Government Whip from 2012 to 2013. She was defeated at the 2013 election by Nationals candidate, Kevin Hogan. Janelle was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly as a Labor Member for the seat of Lismore in the 2019 State election.
Janelle is currently the Minister for Recovery, the Minister for Small Business, and the Minister for the North Coast
Janelle is committed to increasing funding to local hospitals and health services, stopping cuts to local schools and TAFEs, supporting small businesses, and protecting the environment. She is aligned with the Labor Left Faction of the Labor Party.
Janelle lives in Lismore with her husband Jim. They have an adult son. In her spare time, Janelle enjoys reading, walking, swimming and watching movies.
