The Australian Women's Register

Summary

On June 24, 2010, Julia Gillard became the first woman Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia and retained her position after the federal election, which was held on 21 August 2010. She led a minority Labor Government, supported by a member of the Greens party and three Independents. She lost the prime ministership on 27 June 2013, when Kevin Rudd challenged her for the position and won. She retired from parliament in August 2013.

Her career in parliamentary politics began when she was elected Member of the House of Representatives for Lalor (Victoria) in 1998 and re-elected in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. She became Deputy Leader of the Opposition (ALP) in December 2006. On the election of the Labor Government in November 2007, she assumed the position of Deputy Prime Minister and took on the portfolios of Employment and Workplace Relations, Education and Social Inclusion.

In 2017, Julia Gillard was made a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia ‘for eminent service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly as Prime Minister, through seminal contributions to economic and social development, particularly policy reform in the areas of education, disability care, workplace relations, health, foreign affairs and the environment, and as a role model to women.’

Details

Events

• 1990 - 1996

  Partner, Slater & Gordon Solictors

• 1987 - 1990

  Solictor, Slater & Gordon Solictors

• 1993 - 1997

  Member, Administrative Committee, Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party

• 1982 - 1983

  Member, National Let’s Develop Education Committee, Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party

• 1983

  President, Australian Union of Students

• 1982

  Vice-President, National Education Australian Union of Studies

• 2001 - 2003

  Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration

• 1981

  President, Adelaide University Union

• 1980

  Member, Adelaide University Union

• 2003

  Shadow Minister for Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs

• 2003 - 2006

  Shadow Minister for Health

• 2006 - 2007

  Deputy Leader of the Opposition

• 2061

  Born: daughter of John Oliver and Moira Gillard

• 1996 - 1998

  Chief of Staff to Leader of the Opposition John Brumby

• 1998

  Elected Member House of Representatives (MHR) for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) for the Victorian electorate of Lalor

• 2010 - 2013

  Prime Minister of Australia

• 2007 - 2010

  Deputy Prime Minister

• 2013

  Honorary Visiting Professor of Politics at the University of Adelaide

• 2014

  Appointed chairwoman of the Global Partnership for Education focussed on the education of children in the world’s poorest countries

• 2014

  Appointed to the Board of the mental health institution beyondblue

• 2017

  Appointed Chair of Beyond Blue

• 2017

  Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)