[3] In 2011, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to medicine, particularly through leadership roles with the AMA, education and community health, and as a general practitioner.

On 16 September 2018, Phelps announced she would run as an independent candidate in the 2018 Wentworth by-election, occasioned by the resignation from Parliament of Malcolm Turnbull following his removal as Prime Minister.

Her father, George, was a refrigeration mechanic, and her mother, Shirley Phelps OAM, was a Councillor for Pittwater Council (1995–2002) and Deputy Mayor (1996–1997).

She started working in health communications in the mainstream media in 1985, bringing messages about healthy lifestyle to the attention of the general public.

Her television credits include EveryBody, Good Morning Australia, the Today Show, a documentary on the Kokoda Track campaign and Last Chance Surgery.

Some of her more significant successes involved working with Australian State and Federal Governments on resolving an emerging medical indemnity crisis.

Phelps' major areas of interest included integrative medicine, public health, and human rights issues.

Phelps's time as AMA president was marked by a public clash with the federal Minister for Health, Michael Wooldridge.

She is a regular commentator on general practice, public health, medical politics and human rights issues.

[32][33] On 5 November, she was declared elected with a majority of 1,851 votes (1.2 points in two-party-preferred terms), constituting a 19-point swing in what had been a safe Liberal seat.

She immediately stated that she would seek an urgent briefing on possible referral of Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton and Liberal MP Chris Crewther to the High Court under Constitution s 44(v).

[34] Upon arriving in Parliament, she proposed amendments to government legislation which gave greater authority to doctors to allow the medical evacuation of asylum seekers to Australia from Nauru and Manus Island.

Human rights advocates hailed the legislation, with one reflecting on its passage a "tipping point as a country", in relation to the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.

[45][46] During the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey period, Phelps appeared in an advertisement for the "Yes" campaign,[47] and was a high-profile figure in the debate.

[3][52] On 13 June 2011, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to medicine, particularly through leadership roles with the Australian Medical Association in education and community health, and as a general practitioner.

[57] In October 2019 she was named winner of the Public Policy category in The Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence awards[58] in recognition of her efforts in advocating for asylum-seeker health and lobbying Parliament for the Medevac law.