Julia Gillard
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2007) |
Julia Gillard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Lalor | |
| Assumed office 3 October 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Barry Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 September 1961 Barry, Wales, UK  |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Residence(s) | Werribee, Victoria |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne, University of Adelaide |
| Website | JuliaGillard.alp.org.au |
Julia Eileen Gillard (born 29 September 1961) is the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and deputy leader of the federal Australian Labor Party (ALP). She has been an ALP member of the Australian House of Representatives since October 1998, representing the Division of Lalor, Victoria. She was elected unopposed as Deputy Leader on December 4 2006, and became Shadow Minister for Employment & Industrial Relations, and Shadow Minister for Social Inclusion on December 10 2006.[1]
Early life
Julia Gillard was born in Barry, Wales. In 1966, she migrated to Australia with her family, settling in Adelaide.
Gillard attended Unley High School, graduating in 1978. She then attended the University of Adelaide but later moved to Melbourne. In 1986, she graduated from the University of Melbourne with arts and law degrees and, the following year, joined the law firm Slater & Gordon at Werribee, working in the area of industrial law. In 1990, she was admitted as one of their first women partners.
Political provenance
In 1983, Gillard became the second woman to lead the Australian Union of Students.
From 1996 to 1998, Gillard served as Chief-of-Staff to Victorian Opposition Leader, John Brumby.[2] She was responsible for drafting the affirmative action rules within the Labor Party in Victoria, setting the target of women being preselected in 35 percent of winnable seats within a decade. She also played a role in the foundation of EMILY's List, the fund-raising and support network for Labor women.
Member of Parliament
Gillard was elected as Member for Lalor to the House of Representatives at the 1998 election. Her first speech to the house was made on 11 November 1998.[3]
Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration (2001–03)
After Labor's defeat at the 2001 election, Gillard was elected to the Shadow Cabinet, with the portfolio of Population and Immigration. In February 2003, she was given the additional portfolios of Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs.
In the wake of the Tampa and Children Overboard affairs, which were partly credited with Labor's 2001 election loss, Gillard developed a new immigration policy for the Labor Party.
Shadow Minister for Health (2003–06)
Gillard was promoted to the position of Shadow Health Minister in July 2003. Shortly, after this the government moved the then Workplace Relations Minister, Tony Abbott, into the health portfolio, partly in an attempt to match her debating abilities[citation needed]. Additionally, she gained responsibility for managing opposition business in the House of Representatives.
In the aftermath of the Labor loss at the October 2004 election, it was speculated that Gillard might challenge Jenny Macklin for the deputy leadership, but she did not do so.
Gillard has been touted as a potential future leader of the party for some years, but until 2005 she stayed out of leadership contests. However, Latham resigned as leader in January 2005, and Gillard emerged as a possible successor, along with Kim Beazley and Kevin Rudd.
After appearing on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Australian Story programme in March 2006[4][5], an Ipsos Mackay poll in April 2006, conducted for the Ten Network's Meet the Press program, found that respondants would prefer Gillard to be Labor leader. She polled 32% compared to Beazley's 25% and Kevin Rudd's 18%.[6].
Although she had significant cross-factional support, on 25 January 2005, she announced that she would not be contesting the leadership, allowing Beazley to be elected unopposed.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
On 1 December 2006, in a cross factional political partnership with Kevin Rudd, Gillard launched a challenge for the deputy leadership of the ALP. Once Kevin Rudd was elected as leader, incumbent deputy leader and Kim Beazley's deputy Jenny Macklin did not contest the challenge and on 4 December 2006 Gillard was elected unopposed. In the frontbench reshuffle following the leadership change, Gillard was elected to take the Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio. In the 2007 Australian Federal Election, Julia Gillard became Australia's first woman Deputy Prime Minister.
The Socialist Forum
According to Paul Sheehan, a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald, Gillard worked full-time for a group called The Socialist Forum [1] between 1984 and 1986. This group was formed to facilitate absorption of some former Communist Party of Australia members into the Australian Labor Party after a schism in the Communist Party. Federal Treasurer Peter Costello and Labor backbencher Michael Danby were also part of the same group in their university days. [2]
![[2]](http://reasonsyouwillhateme.com/files/images/62/250px-Youngcostello.JPG){kind=link}
Personal Life
Gillard's personal life has been attacked by conservative politicians.[7]In May 2007, Nationals senator Bill Heffernan labelled Gillard "deliberately barren" and unqualified for leadership because she had no children. He was widely criticised for his comments, including by members of his own Party, and issued an apology.[8]
In a Bulletin interview published in January 2007 Gillard defended childlessness: "If Peter Costello genuinely thought about it, could he be the mother of three children, have been Treasurer for more than a decade and be the next in line to be prime minister? The frank answer is no." Gillard said.[9]
References
- ^ In the 2007 Australian Federal Election, Julia Gillard became Australia's first woman Deputy Prime Minister. "Shadow Ministry" (PDF). 2006-12-10. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
- ^ "Ms Julia Gillard MP, Member for Lalor (Vic)". Australian Parliament House. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
- ^ "Ms Julia Gillard MP, Member for Lalor (Vic), First Speech To Parliament". Australian Parliament House. 1998-11-11. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
- ^ "Julia Gillard Interview Transcript". Australian Story. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "The Gillard Diaries". Australian Story. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Julia Gillard preferred ALP leader: poll". The Age. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Happy to slug it out in House and slog it out on policy". Sydney Morning Herald. 2006-12-05. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ "Heffernan sorry for 'barren' remarks". ABC Radio National. 2007-06-02. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ "Gillard defends childlessness". The Australian. 2007-01-17. Retrieved 2007-08-31.