At the time of her State campaign (1991) Yvonne Jayawardena was a widow, with one son, and was working as a researcher in health services at the University of NSW. She had previously had a career in nursing care and health administration, and had been awarded the Queen's silver medal for nursing.
She was particularly opposed to discrimination on the grounds of race, sex or religion, and was in favour of increased participation by citizens in the decisions that affected their lives. She was a keen environmentalist.
While a councillor , she served on the NSW executive of ALGWA.

She has continued to take an interest in public affairs and has made submissions to Senate committees of enquiry.

Sources used to compile this entry: Decker, Dianne, Women in Australian Parliament and Local Government: An updated history 1975-1992, Australian Local Government Women's Association, Canberra, 1992; Ephemera on NSW State and local elections, Box 6, Mitchell Library collection, State Library of NSW, Sydney; http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee (accessed 20 August 2005).