She was a senior official with the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) prior to entering politics.
After starting a family with her husband Graham, in July 1980 she began working as a process worker at the Edgell-Birds Eye factory in Ulverstone, which was later taken over by Simplot Australia.
[1] Urquhart joined the Food Preservers' Union of Australia, initially serving as a delegate and then from August 1990 as a full-time organiser.
[2][3] Urquhart served as a vice-president of the Australian Labor Party (Tasmanian Branch) from 2004 and as a delegate to the ALP National Conference.
After the ALP's victory at the 2022 election she became chief government whip and was also made chair of the selection of bills committee.