David Bartlett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Bartlett
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Bartlett in 2007
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| 43rd Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 26 May 2008 – 23 January 2011 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Peter Underwood |
| Deputy | Lara Giddings |
| Preceded by | Paul Lennon |
| Succeeded by | Lara Giddings |
| Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison |
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| In office 1 April 2004 – 13 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Bacon |
| Succeeded by | Graeme Sturges |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
David John Bird
19 January 1968 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Spouse | Larissa Bartlett (née Marris) |
| Children | Hudson and Matilda Bartlett |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania |
| Profession | Public servant |
| Website | www.davidbartlett.com.au |
David John Bartlett was an important Australian politician. He was born on January 19, 1968. He served as the 43rd Premier of Tasmania, which is like being the leader of the state. He held this job from May 2008 to January 2011. Before that, he was a member of the Labor Party in the Tasmanian Parliament, representing the area called Denison from 2004 until he retired in 2011.
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David Bartlett's Early Life
David Bartlett was born David John Bird in 1968. His birth mother was a teenager. He was placed into foster care by his biological grandparents. He spent 40 days in the hospital as a baby. Then, he was placed with the Bartlett family. He was never legally adopted by them. He officially remained a ward of the state until he was 18. This helped make sure he received financial help for his medical needs as a baby.
Bartlett was raised in the Baptist faith. He lived in Moonah and Mount Nelson in Tasmania. He went to Mount Nelson Primary School. For high school, he attended Taroona High School and Hobart College. He studied Computer Science at the University of Tasmania. He also earned a diploma in Professional Management.
Before becoming a politician, he worked in technology. He also worked in the public sector. He was the manager of the Tasmanian Innovation Centre. He also advised David Crean, who was a treasurer for Tasmania.
David Bartlett's Time in Parliament
David Bartlett first became a member of parliament in 2004. This happened after the Premier at the time, Jim Bacon, resigned due to illness. Bartlett became the Deputy Premier of Tasmania in April 2008. He then became the Premier of Tasmania on May 26, 2008. He took over from Paul Lennon.
Re-election and Cabinet Role
Bartlett was re-elected in the 2006 state election. He received many votes in his area, Denison. He was then made the Minister for Education and Skills. This was part of Paul Lennon's government. As a politician, he also served on several important committees. These included committees for Public Accounts, Environment, and the Library of Parliament.
On April 10, 2008, Paul Lennon announced that Bartlett would be the new Deputy Premier. He replaced Steve Kons in this role.
Becoming Premier of Tasmania
On May 26, 2008, Paul Lennon surprised everyone by announcing his resignation. He stepped down as Premier that same day. David Bartlett was then sworn in as Premier. This happened after he was chosen as the leader of the Labor Party by his fellow politicians. The Tasmanian Governor, Peter Underwood, officially appointed him.
During the March 2010 election campaign, Bartlett made a promise. He said he would resign if the Liberal Party won more seats. He also said he would not make a deal with the Greens. He called it "a deal with the devil."
The election results were very close. The Liberal Party won 10 seats, Labor won 10 seats, and the Greens won 5 seats. This meant no single party had enough seats to form a government easily. This is called a hung parliament. Since neither major party had a majority, Bartlett and the Labor Party decided to let the Liberals try to form a government. This was because the Liberals had won more overall votes.
Bartlett then asked the Governor, Peter Underwood, to allow the Liberal Party to form a government. However, Governor Underwood decided to keep Bartlett as Premier. He believed the Liberals could not form a stable government. He noted that the Liberal leader had not talked to the Greens for support. Bartlett also had not promised to support a Liberal government for a certain time. The Governor also said that Bartlett's promise to resign was not the main factor. The decision to choose a Premier was up to the Governor. He felt Bartlett should try to show his government had support in parliament. This is a long-standing tradition in politics.
The leader of the Greens, Nick McKim, announced his party would support Labor. This meant they would help Labor stay in power. A deal was made between Labor and the Greens. They even shared some government roles. This led the Governor to re-appoint Bartlett as Premier. He led a Labor minority government. Bartlett said working with the Greens was his biggest challenge in 2010. He believed it was necessary to avoid "political chaos." He hoped it would work, as hung parliaments might become common in Tasmania.
During Bartlett's time as Premier, several things were achieved. An integrity commission was set up. New laws were introduced to make government information more open. Tasmania was also the first state to get the National Broadband Network. Bartlett also promoted Tasmania as a "national food bowl." However, some of his education reforms and forestry policies caused debate.
Resignation from Leadership
David Bartlett announced he was stepping down as Premier on January 23, 2011. He shared this news on Facebook. He said he was resigning for family reasons. His Deputy Premier, Lara Giddings, became the new Premier the next day. In the new government, Bartlett was appointed as Attorney-General and Justice Minister. He said he would stay in parliament but not run in the next election.
On May 11, 2011, after a political defeat for Labor, he resigned from his cabinet roles. He still planned to stay in parliament for a few months. However, on May 13, after pressure from his own party and the opposition, he left parliament completely.
David Bartlett's Private Life
David Bartlett is married to Larissa. They have two children, named Hudson and Matilda. He was also the president of the Hobart Chargers basketball club from 2016 to 2019.
