She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has represented the Tasmanian seat of Franklin since the 2007 federal election.

[1] Her father died when she was five months old, leaving her mother, Anne Peters, widowed at the age of 19.

[1] Prior to entering parliament herself, Collins worked in various administrative positions for Tasmanian Labor MPs and state government departments.

[1] Quick had been expelled from the ALP months prior after failing to pay his membership fees, and appearing with Liberal party representatives Vanessa Goodwin the candidate for Franklin and minister Joe Hockey when the preselected ALP candidate for Franklin was Tasmanian union official Kevin Harkins who Quick opposed.

[9] She successfully held her seat in the 2010 federal election and was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services on 14 September 2010 in the Second Gillard ministry.

[10] In 2013, Collins gained additional responsibilities as the Minister for Housing and Homelessness and was promoted to the cabinet in the Second Rudd ministry.