In her maiden speech she recalled "a proud history, on both sides of my family, of union and Labor activism".

Her great-grandmother Mary Butler was a founding member of the Hobart branch of the ALP, her uncle Leo Brown was state president of the ALP, one niece (Allison Ritchie) served in the Tasmanian Legislative Council,[2] and another niece (Meg Brown) is currently a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly.

[2] She joined the ALP at a young age and worked as an administrative officer with the party from 1984 to 1996.

[1] Brown was appointed to the Senate on 25 August 2005 to fill a casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Sue Mackay.

In August 2024 she was appointed chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.