Julia gillard achievements

Julia Gillard

Julia Eileen GillardAC (born 29 September ) is an Australian politician who was the 27th Prime Minister of Australia. She became the first female Prime Minister of Australia. She was also Australia's first unmarried prime minister.[1] Gillard was the first prime minister not born in Australia since Billy Hughes, who served from to [2]

Gillard became the leader of the Australian Labor Party on 24 June when Kevin Rudd resigned.

She had been Deputy Prime Minister under Kevin Rudd. On 11 December , Rudd went to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali. Gillard became the first woman in Australia's history to take on the prime-ministerial role as the acting prime minister.[3]

Gillard was elected to the House of Representatives in She represented the Division of Lalor, in western suburbs of Melbourne.

Early life

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Gillard was born in in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.[4] She had bronchopneumonia as a child, and her parents thought it would be better in a warmer country.[5] The family came to Australia in , settling in Adelaide.[6] She became an Australian citizen in ,[7]

Gillard's father was a psychiatric nurse, and her mother worked in a Salvation Army nursing home.[5] She and her sister went to Mitcham Demonstration School, and Julia went on to attend Unley High School.[8] She studied at the University of Adelaide but cut short her courses in and moved to Melbourne to work with the Australian Union of Students.[9] She graduated from the University of Melbourne with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees in [10]

In , Gillard joined the law firm Slater & Gordon at Werribee, Melbourne, working in industrial law.[11] In at the age of 29, she became one of their first female partners.[12]

Politics

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At the University of Adelaide, she joined the Labor Club and became involved in a campaign to fight state education budget cuts.[5]

Moving to Melbourne in , Gillard became the second woman to lead the Australian Union of Students.[13] Gillard was also the secretary of the Socialist Forum.

The Socialist Forum wanted to end the ANZUS treaty, making Leningrad a sister city of Melbourne, and increase taxes on rich people.[14]

From to , Gillard was Chief of Staff to the Victorian opposition leaderJohn Brumby[4] She was responsible for writing new rules for the Labor Party in Victoria to increase the number of women elected to parliament.[15] She also played a role in starting EMILY's List, the pro-choice fund-raising and support network for Labor women.[16]

Parliament

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Gillard was elected as Member for Lalor in the House of Representatives at the election, replacing Barry Jones, who had retired.

She made her first speech to the house on 11 November [17]

Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration: –03

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After the election, Gillard was elected to the shadow cabinet, to oversee population and immigration. In February , she was given reconciliation and Indigenous affairs.[18]

After the Tampa and Children Overboard affairs, which were partly credited with Labor's election loss, Gillard worked on a new immigration policy for the Labor Party.[source?]

Shadow Minister for Health: –06

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Gillard was promoted to the position of Shadow Health Minister in July [19] Shortly after this, Tony Abbott became Health Minister.[20] The contest between Abbott and Gillard often attracted attention from the media.

She also was in charge of opposition business in the House of Representatives.[21]

After the Labor loss at the October election, Gillard was seen as a possible future leader.[22] However she stayed out of leadership changes in the Labor Party.

Deputy leader of the opposition

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On 1 December , with Kevin Rudd and Gillard launched a challenge for leadership of the ALP.[23] Once Rudd was elected as leader on 4 December , the deputy leader, Jenny Macklin.

Gillard was elected unopposed as deputy leader.[24] After the leader ship change, Gillard became the shadow ministe for Employment, Workplace Relations and Social Inclusion.[25]

Deputy prime minister: –10

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The Labor Party won the federal election. On 3 December , Gillard was sworn in as the first female Deputy Prime Minister of Australia.[26]

She was also the Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, and Minister for Social Inclusion.

As Minister for Education, Gillard went to Washington, DC, where she signed a deal with the US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, to enourage improved policy collaboration in education reform between both countries.[27]

On 11 December she became the first woman in Australia's history to be in the prime ministerial role when she became acting prime minister while Kevin Rudd went to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali.[3] In the first year of government, she served as acting prime minister for 69 days[28] while Rudd was overseas.

Gillard is a highly regarded debater, and has been described as "the best parliamentary performer on the Labor side".[29]

Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

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Gillard removed the WorkChoices industrial relations laws introduced by the Howard government, and replaced it with the Fair Work Bill.[30] This set up a single industrial relations bureaucracy called Fair Work Australia.[31]

In Gillard was in charge of the government's "Building the Education Revolution" program, which gave AU$16 billion to build new school classrooms, libraries and assembly halls.[32][33]

Prime minister –13

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During Rudd's level of support dropped in the opinion polls.[34] Labor politicians were unhappy with the way he led the party.

The media had a lot of stories about the possibility that he would be challenged as leader. On 23 June , there were several meetings between Gillard and Rudd, as well as other Labor party leaders. Rudd spoke to the media and said that Gillard had asked him to resign or hold a new vote for the party leadership.[35] This would decide who was to be the leader of the Labor Party and therefore the Prime Minister of Australia.

At first Rudd said he would challenge Gillard at the meeting. However, hours before the vote, he resigned as leader when he knew that he did not have enough support to defeat Gillard.[34] She won the election unopposed and became Australia's 27th Prime Minister.[34] At the same meeting the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, was elected unopposed to succeed Gillard as Labor's deputy leader, and hence Deputy Prime Minister.[2] Gillard said that "It is my intention to lead a government that is focused each and every day on meeting the needs of working families around the country".[36] She said "I came to the view that a good government was losing its way".[34]

In February , Rudd resigned as Foreign Minister, and said that he would challenge her for the leadership of the Labor Party.

Gillard called a party meeting on 27 February and asked for a new leadership vote. She won the leadership, getting 71 votes to only 31 for Rudd.[37]

On 26 June , Gillard called a leadership spill. Kevin Rudd declared himself as a candidate. Rudd defeated Gillard by 57 to 45 votes. After the results, several ministers resigned from their ministerial positions including Wayne Swan, Peter Garrett, Greg Combet, Joe Ludwig, Craig Emerson and Stephen Conroy.

In accordance with the pledge she and Rudd made in the vote, Gillard announced that she would not seek re-election and announced her retirement from politics at the upcoming federal election.[38]

Political positions

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Gillard is a member of the Left faction of the Labor party.[39] Analyses of Jacqueline Kent's biography of Gillard suggest that her membership in the faction is "more organisational than ideological".[11][39]

On population policy, in contrast to her predecessor, Gillard is against a "big Australia".

She emphasises the need for sustainability, saying "Australia should not hurtle down the track towards a big population".[40][41]

Gillard is pro-choice on reproductive rights.[42] She does not support gay marriage.[43]

Personal life and views

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Gillard's partner since [1] is Tim Mathieson.[44] She had previous relationships with union officials Michael O'Connor and Bruce Wilson and fellow Federal Labor MP Craig Emerson.[45] She has never married and has had no children.[46]

When asked in on the ABC's Jon Faine program, "Do you believe in God?", Gillard answered, "No, I don't Jon, I'm not a religious person I'm, of course, a great respecter of religious beliefs but they're not my beliefs".[47][48][49] Newly appointed Prime Ministers must take an affirmation of office, or swear an oath of office on the Bible.[50][51] Gillard chose an affirmation.[52]

She lives in the south western Melbourne suburb of Altona[53] and is a public supporter of the Western BulldogsAustralian Rules Football club.[54]

References

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  1. ↑ Lunn, Stephen (25 June ).

    "Let's wait and see on marriage, says Julia Gillard's partner".

    And where are we today? In October it was announced that Gillard would be leading the Royal Commission into early education in South Australia. Archived from the original on 11 July And it is for the nation to think in a sophisticated way about those shades of grey.

    The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 25 June

  2. ↑ Kerr, Christian; Franklin, Matthew (24 June ). "Julia Gillard 'honoured' to become prime minister as Kevin Rudd stands aside". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 24 June
  3. ↑ Kerin, Lindy (10 December ).

    "Gillard makes Aust history as female acting PM". ABC News. Retrieved 24 June

  4. ↑ "The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Member for Lalor (Vic)". Australian House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 7 February Retrieved 24 June
  5. ↑ "Australian Story - Julia Gillard Interview Transcript".

    . 6 March Retrieved 21 May

  6. ↑"Julia Gillard in Person". Counterpoint. 20 September Radio National. yes.
  7. ↑The changing face of the average Aussie
  8. ↑"Gillard addresses students at former high school". ABC News. 14 December Retrieved 23 June
  9. ↑Simons, Margaret (16 February ).

    "Room at the top on the campus".

    Julia gillard family: The Rudd Labor opposition promised to implement an emissions trading scheme ETS before the federal election which Labor won. Archived from the original on 1 November Often Royal Commissions are created to look back at what's gone wrong. Born in Barry, Wales and raised in Adelaide , she was the member of parliament MP for the Victorian division of Lalor from to

    The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 25 June

  10. ↑"Julia Gillard". History of the Melbourne Law School. University of Melbourne. 24 June Archived from the original on 1 July Retrieved 24 June
  11. ↑ "The Other Biography: Jacueline Kent's "The Making of Julia Gillard" by Christine Wallace".

    The Monthly. Schwartz Publishing. October Retrieved 19 October

  12. ↑Davis, Mark (24 June ). "Focus and ambition drive her success". . Retrieved 21 May
  13. ↑Mayes, Andrea (10 August ). "Julie Bishop and Julia Gillard clash". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 19 July Retrieved 23 June
  14. ↑Wright, Lincoln (7 August ).

    "Will Julia Gillard's past cause red faces?". Sunday Herald Sun. News Limited. Retrieved 23 June

  15. ↑Gillard, Julia (). "Personal Perspectives on Parliament Lower House: Lower House"(PDF). One Hundred Years of Women's Suffrage in Australia, Centenary Issue. Commonwealth of Australia.

    She was also the 13th deputy prime minister of Australia from to , under Kevin Rudd. Born in Barry, Wales and raised in Adelaide , she was the member of parliament MP for the Victorian division of Lalor from to Retrieved 28 February Retrieved 2 December

    pp.&#;34– Archived from the original(PDF) on 9 May Retrieved 29 June

  16. ↑Summers, Anne (25 June ). "Historic moment, but barriers remain for half the population". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 26 June
  17. ↑"Ms Julia Gillard MP, Member for Labor (Vic), First speech to Parliament".

    Australian House of Representatives. 11 November Archived from the original on 23 April Retrieved 18 May

  18. ↑"Crean names new team". ABC News. 18 February Retrieved 24 June
  19. ↑Hudson, Phillip (2 July ). "ALP rising star for key health role". The Age.

    Julia gillard biography In the aftermath of Labor's fourth consecutive defeat in the federal election it was widely speculated that Gillard might challenge Jenny Macklin for the deputy leadership, but she did not do so. Minister for Education — Kevin Rudd declared himself as a candidate. Retrieved 25 March

    Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June

  20. ↑Wroe, David (30 September ). "Doctor groups hail promotion of 'head kicker'". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June
  21. ↑Banham, Cynthia (3 December ). "Gillard's loyalty pays off". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June
  22. ↑Grattan, Michelle (22 January ).

    "Beazley no to Gillard as deputy". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June

  23. ↑Hudson, Phillip; Coorey, Phillip (1 December ). "Rudd, Gillard confirm challenge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June
  24. ↑Coorey, Phillip (5 December ). "We'll rebuild nation, says Rudd". The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June

  25. ↑Grattan, Michelle (11 December ). "Plums for Rudd men in shadow reshuffle". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June
  26. ↑Marriner, Cosima (26 November ). "Gillard reveals: it was the go-girl factor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 24 June
  27. ↑Harrison, Dan (19 October ).

    "Ms Gillard goes to Washington". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 19 October

  28. ↑Norington, Brad (24 November ). "Business as usual for Gillard the caretaker". The Australian. News Limited. Archived from the original on 19 September Retrieved 23 June
  29. ↑van Onselen, Peter (14 March ). "Shorten pathway to a Gillard future".

    The Australian. News Limited.

    Julia gillard Archived from the original on 4 June He continued to dog his one-time ally, and she was forced to face down two leadership challenges before losing a third in June Archived from the original on 4 October She had since unveiled the revamped version, My School 2.

    Archived from the original on 15 March Retrieved 23 June

  30. ↑Viellaris, Renee (20 March ). "WorkChoices finally dead: Julia Gillard". The Australian. News Limited. Archived from the original on 5 September Retrieved 23 June
  31. ↑"PM promises not to extend Work Choices". The Age.

  34. Fairfax. 15 October Retrieved 13 November

  35. ↑Bita, Natasha (10 September ). "Grant to trail girl to next school". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 23 June
  36. ↑Bita, Natasha (22 October ). "Julia Gillard to reclaim school payouts". The Australian. News Limited.

    Retrieved 23 June

  37. ↑ "Australia has first woman PM as Gillard replaces Rudd". . 24 June Retrieved 22 May
  38. ↑Harvey, Michael (23 June ). "Federal Labor MPs moving to axe Kevin Rudd and replace him with Julia Gillard". Herald Sun. News Limited. Retrieved 23 June
  39. ↑Davies, Ben (10 July ).

    "Enough with the 'working families' already". .

  40. Julia gillard speech
  41. Julia gillard children
  42. When did julia gillard get married
  43. 10 interesting facts about julia gillard

    44. Retrieved 22 May

  44. ↑"Julia Gillard defeats Kevin Rudd in crushing ballot". . Archived from the original on 28 February Retrieved 28 February
  45. ↑Levy, Megan (27 June ). "'Most shocking political backstabbers': Rudd's comeback makes headlines around the world". Canberra Times.

    Retrieved 5 July [permanent dead link]

  46. ↑ Peter Mares (7 December ). "The Making of Julia Gillard". Australian Policy Online. Archived from the original on 14 December Retrieved 30 June (book review)
  47. ↑Peatling, Stephanie (27 June ). "Don't hurtle towards a big Australia: PM".

    Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 27 June

  48. ↑"Gillard shuts door on 'big Australia'". ABC News Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 June Retrieved 27 June
  49. ↑"Gillard warns on abortion funding". The Age. Fairfax. 3 February Retrieved 27 June
  50. ↑"Gillard does not support gay marriage".

    7 news. 30 June Archived from the original on 3 July Retrieved 30 June

  51. ↑"Gillard's partner Tim Mathieson 'bubbly'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. 24 June Retrieved 24 June
  52. ↑Valent, Dani (18 May ). "Our Julia". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 26 June
  53. ↑"Gillard defends childlessness".

    The Australian. News Limited. 17 January Archived from the original on 30 November Retrieved 31 August

  54. ↑ 'PM tells it as she sees it on the God issue' - Tony Wright (30 June )
  55. ↑Maley, Jacqueline (26 December ). "Catholics divided in the House". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax.

    Retrieved 24 June

  56. ↑"Gillard won't play religion card". ABC News. 29 June
  57. ↑Hazell, Malcolm (3 December ). "Swearing-in ceremony for Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries". . Archived from the original on 3 October Retrieved 30 June
  58. ↑"Commonwealth Of Australia Constitution Act".

    . 21 May Archived from the original on 4 September Retrieved 30 June

  59. ↑Berkovic, Nicola (24 June ). "Women in power as Julia Gillard sworn in as Australian Prime Minister by Quentin Bryce". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 26 June
  60. ↑Wright, Tony (2 January ). "Forget Canberra, Altona has become the new heart of the nation".

    The Age. Retrieved 5 October

  61. ↑McNicol, Adam (24 June ). "Dogs celebrate fan Gillard's ascension to PM". Archived from the original on 20 January Retrieved 25 June

Other websites

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