She has been a Labor member of the South Australian Legislative Council since the 2018 state election.
[1] Bourke previously worked as a staffer for Premier Jay Weatherill.
She was elevated to the top position on Labor's Legislative Council ticket by the Right faction after Leesa Vlahos withdrew.
Bourke was born and grew up on a farm near Maitland on Yorke Peninsula.
She married Aemon Bourke and they live in Adelaide with three daughters.