Jay Weatherill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Weatherill
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Weatherill in 2018
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| 45th Premier of South Australia | |
| In office 21 October 2011 – 19 March 2018 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Kevin Scarce Hieu Van Le |
| Preceded by | Mike Rann |
| Succeeded by | Steven Marshall |
| Deputy | John Rau |
| Treasurer of South Australia | |
| In office 21 January 2013 – 26 March 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Jack Snelling |
| Succeeded by | Tom Koutsantonis |
| Leader of the South Australian Labor Party | |
| In office 21 October 2011 – 9 April 2018 |
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| Deputy | John Rau |
| Preceded by | Mike Rann |
| Succeeded by | Peter Malinauskas |
| Minister for Education | |
| In office 25 March 2010 – 21 October 2011 |
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| Premier | Mike Rann |
| Preceded by | Jane Lomax-Smith |
| Succeeded by | Grace Portolesi |
| Minister for Environment and Conservation | |
| In office 24 July 2008 – 25 March 2010 |
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| Premier | Mike Rann |
| Preceded by | Gail Gago |
| Succeeded by | Paul Caica |
| Minister for Ageing, Disability and Housing | |
| In office 5 March 2004 – 24 July 2008 |
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| Premier | Mike Rann |
| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | office abolished |
| Minister for Administrative Services | |
| In office 6 March 2002 – 5 March 2004 |
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| Premier | Mike Rann |
| Preceded by | Diana Laidlaw |
| Succeeded by | Trish White |
| Member for Cheltenham | |
| In office 9 February 2002 – 17 December 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Murray De Laine |
| Succeeded by | Joe Szakacs |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jay Wilson Weatherill
3 April 1964 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party (SA) |
| Spouse | Melissa Bailey |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Jay Wilson Weatherill (born 3 April 1964) is a former Australian politician. He was the 45th Premier of South Australia. He served as Premier from October 2011 to March 2018.
Jay Weatherill was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly. He represented the area of Cheltenham. He was part of the South Australian Labor Party. He was elected in 2002 and retired from Parliament in December 2018.
The Labor Party was in power in South Australia from 2002. Jay Weatherill became the leader of the Labor government in 2011. Under his leadership, the Labor government became the longest-serving state Labor government in South Australian history in 2013. They won another election in 2014. After 16 years in power, the Labor government lost the election in 2018. Jay Weatherill stepped down as Labor leader after this election.
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Early Life and Education
Jay Weatherill was born in the western suburbs of Adelaide. His father, George Weatherill, was also a politician.
Jay went to Henley High School. He then studied at the University of Adelaide. He earned degrees in law and economics.
After university, he worked for the Australian Workers' Union. He also worked at a law firm. In 1995, he started his own law firm called Lieschke & Weatherill. He worked as a lawyer until he was elected to Parliament in 2002.
Political Journey
Jay Weatherill was first elected to the South Australian House of Assembly in 2002. He won the seat of Cheltenham. When he was elected, he immediately joined the government's team, called the cabinet.
He held many important jobs, known as 'portfolios'. These included:
- Housing (2004–2008)
- Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (2006–2010)
- Environment and Conservation (2008–2010)
- Education (2010–2011)
In 2010, after an election, Jay Weatherill tried to become the Deputy Premier. He believed the Labor Party needed a new approach. However, he did not win this position.
Becoming Premier
In 2011, other senior Labor politicians decided they wanted Jay Weatherill to become the new leader. The previous Premier, Mike Rann, resigned. Jay Weatherill was then sworn in as the 45th Premier of South Australia on 21 October 2011.
First Term as Premier
One of Jay Weatherill's first big challenges was fighting for more water for the River Murray. He worked with many groups to get an extra 450 gigalitres of water for the river. This was part of the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
His first budget in 2012–2013 involved some big spending cuts. This was to save money. For example, some major railway and hospital projects were paused.
In 2013, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) was opened. This building is sometimes called "the cheese grater" because of its unique design. It is a place where over 700 researchers work on health and medical projects.
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In 2012, Jay Weatherill supported a bill for gay marriage. This meant politicians could vote based on their personal beliefs. However, the bill did not pass in 2013.
In August 2012, a large mining company, BHP, decided not to go ahead with a big expansion of the Olympic Dam mine. This was due to lower prices for goods and higher costs. However, the mine still operates and employs many people.
In 2013, Jay Weatherill also became the Treasurer of South Australia. This meant he was in charge of the state's money. The government sold some state-owned businesses, like SA Lotto and forests, to increase income.
During the 2013 Federal Election, there was a big discussion about building new submarines in South Australia. Jay Weatherill strongly campaigned for this. Eventually, a French company, DCNS, won the contract to build the submarines in South Australia. Weatherill even traveled to France to help strengthen ties.
In December 2013, Holden announced it would stop making cars in Australia. This meant many job losses in South Australia. The Weatherill government worked hard to support small businesses to help the state recover.
The 2014 Election and Second Term
The 2014 state election was very close. Neither Labor nor the Liberal Party won enough seats to form a government on their own. Two independent politicians held the deciding votes. One of them, Geoff Brock, decided to support Labor. This allowed Jay Weatherill to form a minority government. This meant Labor had been in power for four terms.
After the 2014 election, Jay Weatherill joined other state leaders to speak out against the federal government's budget. Another Liberal politician, Martin Hamilton-Smith, also joined Weatherill's government as an independent.
In 2015, Weatherill started the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission. This was to study if South Australia should expand its involvement in the nuclear industry. The report suggested building a nuclear waste storage facility. Weatherill said this would need public support.
He also started 'Simplify Day' in 2015. This was to reduce unnecessary rules and laws. Over two years, the government changed or removed many acts and regulations.
Weatherill also created Investment Attraction South Australia. This agency helped bring international companies to the state. In two years, it helped create over 9,000 jobs.
In 2015, the government promised money for a second SAHMRI building. This new building would have Australia's first proton therapy unit.
The government also worked to remove laws that discriminated against the LGBTIQ community. Jay Weatherill also formally apologized to the LGBTIQ community for past discrimination.
In 2016, the Whyalla Steelworks faced financial problems. Jay Weatherill's government committed $50 million to support the steelworks. Later, a British company bought the steelworks, investing in its future.
In 2017, Jay Weatherill and the Health Minister opened the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. It was described as "the most advanced in the nation."
South Australia experienced several power blackouts in 2016. In response, Weatherill announced a plan to improve the state's electricity supply. This included building a new gas-fired power station and a large battery storage system (the Tesla Big Battery). This battery, the Hornsdale Power Reserve, helps support the power grid during busy times.
In September 2017, Jay Weatherill announced the South Australian Space Industry Centre. This was meant to become part of a national space agency. He also expanded the government's 'Defence' job to include 'Space Industries'.
In 2017, Weatherill asked for an investigation into water management in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. He launched a South Australian Royal Commission in 2018 to investigate this issue.
In February 2018, Weatherill announced a plan with Tesla to create the world's largest virtual power plant. This project aimed to give free solar panels and battery systems to 50,000 homes. The goal was to lower power prices for everyone.
The 2018 Election and Aftermath
The Labor government had been in power for 16 years. In the 2018 South Australian state election, they tried to win a fifth term. However, they were defeated by the SA Liberals, led by Steven Marshall.
After the election, Jay Weatherill called Steven Marshall to congratulate him. Weatherill then announced he would step down as Labor leader. Peter Malinauskas became the new Labor leader in April 2018. Jay Weatherill retired from Parliament in December 2018.
Life After Politics
After leaving politics, Jay Weatherill continued to be involved in important work. In 2019, he became a professor at the University of South Australia. He also led a review of the Federal Labor Party's election loss in 2019.
In 2020, he moved to Perth. There, he began leading the early childhood development part of the Minderoo Foundation, called Thrive by Five. In 2024, he became the chairman of the board for the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation.
Honours
In 2021, Jay Weatherill was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia. This honour was for his "distinguished service to the people and Parliament of South Australia," especially as Premier. It also recognized his work in early childhood and university education.
Personal Life
Jay Weatherill is married to Melissa, and they have two daughters. He supports the Port Adelaide Football Club.
See also
- 2018 South Australian state election
- Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch)
- Cabinet of South Australia
- Weatherill Ministry
