Helen is recognised as Australia's foremost consumer affairs expert.

For the past eight years she has been Seven's national reporter on consumer and trade practice issues.

Helen majored in Russian history at university and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a teaching diploma at Monash University.

She taught history and English at Victorian high schools for two years.

In 1973 she was recruited to the NSW Department of Consumer Affairs.

Helen's job was to prevent problems by implementing public information programs advising industry, commerce and consumers about their responsibilities and rights in the marketplace.

Her media appearances produced a surge of interest in consumer issues.

People's awareness of their legal rights led to unprecedented levels of complaints and requests for help.

In this role, she soon became a household name as the public face of the consumer affairs movement in Australia and a strong advocate on issues affecting consumers.

A raft of consumer protection laws were consequently introduced in NSW and other states soon followed.

In her consumer advocacy role during the 1970s and 80s, Helen appeared on national news, current affairs and variety shows, including the ABC's This Day Tonight and the 7.30 report, Seven's Willesee at 7 and 11AM, Nine's The Midday Show, weekly radio talk-back shows on 2BL and 2GB and as a weekly panellist on the Inventors program, What'll They Think of Next?

She also wrote weekly columns for several daily newspapers.

Termed a "crusader for consumer rights", she named defective and unsafe products and exposed companies' malpractices and shonky traders.

This was the advent of the "walk-in", a technique used to confront dodgy operators while the cameras rolled. It became her trademark.

In 1986 Helen was appointed to the ABC's consumer watchdog program The Investigators.

In 1996 Helen moved to commercial television to host Seven's 6.30pm current affairs program Today Tonight. For the past eight years, she has been the network's consumer expert, presenting investigative reports for Today Tonight, Seven News and Sunrise.

She is a weekly contributor to New Idea for which she writes a consumer issues page.

Helen has also written two books, the top-selling Buying Power: A Guide for Consumers in Australia and Home Energy Guide.

Helen is a representative and supporter of UNICEF.

She is an Ambassador for and actively supports the Northcott Society, a respite centre for disabled children, of which she is a life member.

Helen enjoys bush walking in national parks and is passionate about travel, both in Australia and overseas, especially in France and Italy, countries which she visits regularly to explore their art and culture.

She has a special interest in contemporary music and jazz.

Architecture is a passion. Helen has been a jury member for the Royal Australian Institute of Architecture's National and State awards. In 2004, Helen has performed the role of a jury member for the Architects Registration Board of Victoria's Architectural Services Awards.

Family activities include performing and listening to music and attending regular concerts.

Helen won a Logie for most outstanding current affairs story in 1992, The Homefund Scheme scandal, while she anchored The Investigators. She won a Penguin Award for Best Female Presenter in 1987 and the Better Hearing Award in 1990. As Today Tonight's consumer Reporter, Helen was also awarded the NSW Department of Fair Trading's Consumer Protection Award for 2 consecutive years in 2001 and 2002 for her television stories alerting viewers to dodgy traders and practices.