Julia Gillard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Julia Gillard AC
Official portrait, 2010
27th Prime Minister of Australia
In office 24 June 2010 – 27 June 2013
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Quentin Bryce
Deputy	Wayne Swan
Preceded by	Kevin Rudd
Succeeded by	Kevin Rudd
19th Leader of the Labor Party
In office 24 June 2010 – 26 June 2013
Deputy	Wayne Swan
Preceded by	Kevin Rudd
Succeeded by	Kevin Rudd
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office 3 December 2007 – 24 June 2010
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Mark Vaile
Succeeded by	Wayne Swan
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office 4 December 2006 – 24 June 2010
Leader	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Jenny Macklin
Succeeded by	Wayne Swan
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
In office 4 December 2006 – 3 December 2007
Leader	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Jenny Macklin
Succeeded by	Julie Bishop
Cabinet Positions Minister for Education In office 3 December 2007 – 28 June 2010 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Herself Preceded by Julie Bishop Succeeded by Simon Crean Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations In office 3 December 2007 – 28 June 2010 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Herself Preceded by Joe Hockey Succeeded by Simon Crean Minister for Social Inclusion In office 3 December 2007 – 28 June 2010 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Herself Preceded by Mike Rann Succeeded by Simon Crean
Manager of Opposition Business
In office 8 December 2003 – 10 December 2006
Leader	Mark Latham Kim Beazley
Preceded by	Mark Latham
Succeeded by	Anthony Albanese
Member of the Australian Parliament for Lalor
In office 3 October 1998 – 5 August 2013
Preceded by	Barry Jones
Succeeded by	Joanne Ryan
Personal details
Born	Julia Eileen Gillard (1961-09-29) 29 September 1961 (age 63) Barry, Wales
Citizenship	Australia British (until 1998)
Political party	Labor
Domestic partner	Tim Mathieson (2006–2021)
Education	Mitcham School Unley High School
Alma mater	University of Adelaide University of Melbourne (BA, LLB)
Occupation	Lawyer politician
Signature

Julia Eileen Gillard (born 29 September 1961) is an Australian former politician. She was the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and the leader of the Labor Party from 2010 to 2013. She is the first and only woman to hold either of these important roles in Australian history.

Born in Barry, Wales, Julia moved to Adelaide, Australia, with her family in 1966. She studied at the University of Adelaide and later the University of Melbourne. She became a lawyer, specializing in industrial law. In 1998, she was elected to the Australian House of Representatives for the area of Lalor in Victoria.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Julia Gillard was the 13th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. She served under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. In June 2010, she became the leader of the Labor Party and then Prime Minister.

During her time as Prime Minister, her government introduced important changes. These included the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and new funding for schools (known as Gonski funding). Her government also started the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN). She retired from politics in 2013.

After leaving politics, Julia Gillard has continued to work on global issues. She has been involved with education and mental health organizations. She is the chair of the Global Partnership for Education and Beyond Blue.

Early Life and Education

Julia Gillard was born in 1961 in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. When she was a child, she had bronchopneumonia. Her parents decided to move to a warmer country for her health. The family came to Australia in 1966 and settled in Adelaide. She became an Australian citizen in 1974.

Julia's father was a psychiatric nurse, and her mother worked in a Salvation Army nursing home. Julia and her sister attended Mitcham Demonstration School. Julia then went to Unley High School.

She began studying at the University of Adelaide. In 1982, she moved to Melbourne to work with the Australian Union of Students. She finished her studies at the University of Melbourne. She earned degrees in Arts and Law in 1986.

In 1987, Gillard joined the law firm Slater & Gordon in Werribee, Melbourne. She worked in industrial law. By 1990, at 29 years old, she became one of the firm's first female partners.

Member of Parliament (1998–2007)

Julia Gillard was first elected to the Australian House of Representatives in the 1998 Australian federal election. She represented the area of Lalor, which is a safe Labor seat near Melbourne. She replaced Barry Jones, who retired.

She gave her first speech in the House on 11 November 1998. Gillard served on several important committees. These included committees for Employment, Education, Workplace Relations, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

Shadow Minister (2001–2007)

Gillard at her first press conference as Deputy Leader in 2006, alongside new Leader Kevin Rudd

After the Labor Party lost the 2001 Australian federal election, Gillard joined the Shadow Cabinet of Australia. This is a group of opposition politicians who watch over government ministers. She was responsible for Population and Immigration. Later, she also took on responsibilities for Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs.

In these roles, Gillard helped create a new immigration policy for the Labor Party. This was after events like the Tampa affair and Children Overboard affair.

Gillard was later promoted to Shadow Minister for Health in July 2003. She also became Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House. She often debated with Tony Abbott, who was the Health Minister at the time. Their debates often got media attention.

For some years, people thought Gillard might become the future leader of the Labor Party. However, she never ran for the top leadership position during this time.

Deputy Opposition Leader (2006–2007)

On 1 December 2006, Julia Gillard challenged Jenny Macklin for the deputy leadership of the Labor Party. This was part of a partnership with Kevin Rudd. After Rudd successfully became Labor Leader on 4 December 2006, Macklin resigned. This allowed Gillard to become Deputy Leader without opposition.

In the changes that followed, Gillard was given responsibility for Employment, Workplace Relations, and Social Inclusion. She also became Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Deputy Prime Minister (2007–2010)

Gillard meets with US Ambassador Jeff Bleich on 26 November 2009

After the Labor Party won the 2007 Australian federal election, Julia Gillard was sworn in. She became the first female Deputy Prime Minister of Australia on 3 December 2007.

She was also given control of a large department called the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. This department covered education, employment, and workplace issues.

Gillard was part of a small group of senior ministers called the "Gang of Four." This group included Prime Minister Rudd, Treasurer Wayne Swan, and Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner. They were in charge of managing the government's response to the 2007–08 global financial crisis.

On 11 December 2007, Gillard became the acting prime minister for the first time. This happened while Rudd was attending a climate change conference in Bali. She was the first woman ever to hold this position. She acted as prime minister for a total of 69 days during Rudd's time in office.

Gillard became known as a very strong debater in parliament. Many people praised her performances during question time.

Ministerial Roles

As Minister for Education, Gillard traveled to Washington D.C. in 2009. She signed an agreement with the US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. This deal aimed to improve cooperation on education reform between Australia and the United States.

One of her first goals in 2008 was to create the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). This independent group is responsible for developing a national curriculum for schools. She also launched the "Digital Education Revolution" (DER) program. This program provided laptops to public secondary school students. It also developed digital tools and resources for all schools.

Along with DER, Gillard oversaw the "Building the Education Revolution" (BER) program. This program provided $16 billion to build new school facilities. These included classrooms, libraries, and assembly halls.

Gillard also made sure the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) was put in place in 2008. NAPLAN involves standardized tests given annually to Australian students to check their basic skills. This was followed by the My School website, launched in January 2010. This website shares data from NAPLAN and other information about schools.

As Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Gillard changed the industrial relations laws. She replaced the previous "WorkChoices" system with the Fair Work Act. This new law created a single organization called Fair Work Australia to manage workplace relations.

Prime Minister (2010–2013)

Prime Ministerial portrait, 2010

Becoming Prime Minister in 2010

In June 2010, there was a change in leadership within the Labor Party. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's popularity had dropped. Many members of parliament felt he had lost their support. On 23 June 2010, Rudd announced that Julia Gillard had asked for a vote to decide the party's leader. This vote would also decide who would be the Prime Minister.

Gillard being sworn in as Prime Minister by Quentin Bryce on 24 June 2010

Kevin Rudd soon realized he did not have enough support to stay in his position. Hours before the vote on 24 June, he resigned as Prime Minister and Labor Party Leader. This meant Gillard became the leader without opposition. Treasurer Wayne Swan became the Deputy Leader.

Soon after, Julia Gillard was sworn in as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia. This was done by the Governor-General Quentin Bryce. It was a historic moment, as it was the first time in Australian history that both the head of state (Governor-General) and the head of government (Prime Minister) were female.

Gillard explained that the Rudd government had "lost its way." She said that the government had entered a "period of paralysis." She also described Rudd's work style as "difficult and chaotic."

Julia Gillard was the first female Prime Minister. She was also the first Prime Minister never to have married. Additionally, she was the first Prime Minister since Billy Hughes to have been born overseas.

Gillard alongside partner Tim Mathieson, Quentin Bryce, Wayne Swan and Michael Bryce on 24 June 2010

2010 Federal Election

On 17 July 2010, just 23 days after becoming Prime Minister, Gillard announced that the next federal election would be held on 21 August 2010. Her campaign slogan was "moving forward."

Gillard had one official debate with the Opposition leader, Tony Abbott. Surveys after the debate suggested Gillard had won.

The election result was very close. Both Labor and the Coalition won 72 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. This was four seats short of the number needed for a majority government. This resulted in Australia's first hung parliament since 1940.

Six independent Members of Parliament held the balance of power. Four of these, including the Greens and three independents, decided to support Labor. This allowed Gillard and the Labor Party to form a minority government. The Second Gillard Ministry was sworn in on 14 September 2010.

Domestic Policies

(L–R) Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Gillard, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Australian Foreign Minister Robert Carr, 2012

Economy

Julia Gillard became Prime Minister after the global financial crisis of 2007–2008. Government income had fallen during this time. The previous Rudd government had spent money to boost the economy.

Gillard promised that the Federal Budget would be in surplus by 2013. A budget surplus means the government collects more money than it spends. This promise was kept until December 2012.

Her government also introduced a carbon pricing scheme. This was a tax on carbon pollution, which was later planned to become an emissions trading scheme. They also introduced a revised tax on mining profits and a special levy for the Queensland Flood.

Health

Health was a key focus for Gillard's government. During the 2010 election, she promised to increase the number of emergency doctors and nurses. She also planned to offer more nursing scholarships. She said that mental health would be a priority in her second term.

In October 2010, her government proposed changes to how health care was funded. The goal was for the federal government to provide most of the money for public hospitals and primary care. In 2011, a revised plan was agreed upon by all state governments. This new agreement was signed on 2 August.

Immigration

Gillard speaking at the National Flag Raising and Citizenship ceremony in Canberra, on 26 January 2013

Gillard made addressing the issue of asylum seekers arriving by boat a priority. She announced plans to return to "offshore processing" of asylum seeker claims. This meant processing claims outside of Australia. She suggested East Timor as a possible location, but the East Timorese government rejected the idea.

In October 2010, her government announced two new detention centers. These were for 2000 immigrants. One was in Inverbrackie, South Australia, and the other in Northam, Western Australia. She said these would be temporary solutions.

In December 2010, a ship carrying asylum seekers crashed near Christmas Island, causing many deaths. This led to calls for a review of the government's asylum seeker policy.

In May 2011, Gillard announced a plan with Malaysia. Australia would send 800 asylum seekers who arrived by boat to Malaysia. In return, Australia would take 4,000 refugees from Malaysia. However, the High Court later ruled this agreement invalid.

In August 2012, Gillard announced that former detention centers on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea would be reopened. This was based on recommendations from an expert panel. The bill allowing this passed with support from the Opposition.

Education

Gillard and U.S. President Barack Obama at Campbell High School

Julia Gillard kept education as a central part of her economic plans. She believed education was key to developing skills for good jobs and a strong economy. In January 2011, her government extended tax cuts to parents. These cuts helped families pay for school supplies like stationery and textbooks.

As Education Minister under Kevin Rudd, Gillard asked David Gonski to lead a committee. This committee was to make recommendations about funding for education in Australia. The committee's report, known as the Gonski Report, was given to the Gillard government in November 2011. The proposed changes, which included more funding, became known as "Gonski." Supporters urged governments to "Give a Gonski."

Gillard also continued to focus on the My School website. This website provides statistics and information about schools. It was popular with parents and helped them view details about their children's schools. She later launched an updated version, My School 2.0.

Universities were also important in her education plans. Her government aimed to introduce a national regulator for universities. This was to ensure quality in higher education.

Climate Change

Gillard (second row, second from left) at the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit

Before the 2007 federal election, the Labor Party had promised to create an emissions trading scheme (ETS). However, Kevin Rudd was unable to get enough support for his plan.

During the 2010 election campaign, Gillard said she would not introduce a "carbon tax." Instead, she planned to build community agreement for a price on carbon. After the 2010 election, the Labor Party formed a minority government with the Greens and independents. They then agreed to implement a carbon tax. This tax was planned to become an emissions trading scheme later on.

The government proposed the Clean Energy Bill in February 2011. The bill was passed by the Lower House in October 2011. It then passed the Upper House in November 2011.

Commonwealth Relations

Julia Gillard represented Australia at important international events. She attended the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in London in April 2011. She also hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth in October 2011.

At the Perth CHOGM, a historic announcement was made. Gillard and British Prime Minister David Cameron announced changes to the laws of succession for the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. These changes removed rules that favored male heirs over female heirs. They also removed a ban on Roman Catholic spouses.

During the CHOGM, Gillard also hosted Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Queen of Australia. This was likely the Queen's final visit to Australia.

Leadership Challenges (2012 and 2013)

Gillard in 2012

Poor opinion poll results for the Gillard government led to rumors that Kevin Rudd wanted to challenge her for leadership. Rudd resigned from the Cabinet on 22 February 2012. He said he did not think Gillard could win the next election against the Coalition.

Gillard responded by announcing a leadership vote for 27 February 2012. She said that if she lost, she would leave the leadership and return to being a regular Member of Parliament. She asked Rudd to make the same promise. In the vote, Gillard won comfortably by 71 votes to 31.

Despite this win, tensions remained in the Labor Party. After Labor's polling position worsened in early 2013, another leadership challenge occurred. On 21 March 2013, former Labor Leader Simon Crean called for a leadership vote and supported Rudd. Gillard responded by firing Crean and calling a vote for the same day.

Rudd publicly announced he would not run, keeping his promise from 2012. So, Gillard was re-elected as leader without opposition. Several ministers resigned from the government after this. Gillard declared that the leadership question was now "settled."

However, speculation about her leadership continued. By June 2013, Labor's standing in the polls had worsened even more. It seemed likely that Labor would lose the next election if Gillard remained leader.

On 26 June, Gillard called another leadership vote live on television. She challenged any opponent to agree that the loser would retire from politics. Kevin Rudd announced he would challenge her and agreed to retire if he lost. In the vote, Rudd defeated Gillard by 57 votes to 45.

Resignation and Retirement from Politics

Bronze bust of Julia Gillard at the Prime Minister's Avenue in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens

After losing the leadership vote on 26 June 2013, Julia Gillard congratulated Kevin Rudd. She announced that she would immediately resign as Prime Minister. She also kept her promise to retire from politics and not run in the next election.

Gillard's resignation as Prime Minister became official the next day when Rudd was sworn in. She made her final appearance in the House of Representatives soon after. Her time in parliament ended on 5 August.

Julia Gillard served as Prime Minister for three full years. She became the 15th longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia. After the federal election in September 2013, Joanne Ryan succeeded Gillard as the Member for Lalor.

Political Views

Political Philosophy

Julia Gillard was officially a member of the "Victorian Left" group within the Labor Party. However, she received support from the "Labor Right" group to become Prime Minister. Experts have suggested that her membership in the Left group was more about organization than strong beliefs. By 2009, she had started to move her political position closer to the Labor Right.

Civil Liberties and Democracy

Gillard supports Australia becoming a republic. A republic means having an Australian head of state instead of the British monarch. She suggested that the end of Queen Elizabeth II's reign would be a good time for this change.

In November 2010, secret US diplomatic cables were released on the WikiLeaks website. Gillard strongly condemned this action. She called it "grossly irresponsible" and "illegal." Even after an Australian Federal Police investigation found no Australian laws were broken, she maintained her view that the release was irresponsible.

Social Policy

In 2010, Julia Gillard stated that the Marriage Act was correct in its form. This meant it recognized marriage as being between a man and a woman. In 2011, she voted against a bill that would have allowed same-sex marriage in Australia.

However, at a Labor conference in December 2011, Gillard helped the party agree to a "conscience vote" on same-sex marriage. This meant individual members of parliament could vote according to their beliefs, rather than following the party line. The bill for same-sex marriage was defeated in September 2012.

By September 2014, Gillard's views had changed. She said that "the course of human history now is that we are going to see same-sex marriage here." In August 2015, she publicly declared her support for same-sex marriage.

Post-Political Career (2013–Present)

Publications and Appearances

Gillard delivers a keynote address to the National Assembly for Wales on the representation of women in public life, in July 2015

In July 2013, Julia Gillard signed a deal to write her memoirs. Her autobiography, My Story, was published in 2014. In the book, Gillard shares her thoughts on her life and career. She also gives her own analysis of the people and events during the Rudd–Gillard governments.

After leaving parliament, Gillard has remained involved with the Labor Party. She wrote an article for Guardian Australia about her legacy. She also shared her ideas on how the Labor Party should rebuild after their defeat in the 2013 election.

In June 2015, Gillard took part in The Killing Season. This was a documentary series about the Rudd–Gillard years in power. The series included detailed interviews with important Labor Party officials. Before the 2016 election, Gillard offered her help to the Labor party. She appeared in a video supporting the party's education policy. She also joined former Labor Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating at a Labor campaign launch.

She supported Hillary Clinton's campaign for President of the United States in 2016. Gillard appeared in a campaign video for Clinton. She also attended the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The next day, Gillard wrote an open letter to Clinton in The New York Times. In it, she urged voters to "shame sexism" against the Democratic candidate.

Honours and Appointments

In April 2014, Julia Gillard received an honorary degree from Victoria University. This was for her achievements in education and disability reform as a political leader. She has received several other honorary doctorates from universities around the world. These include the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the University of Canberra.

In January 2016, the Julia Gillard Library opened in Tarneit, Melbourne. The local council chose the name to recognize her contributions as a local Member of Parliament and Prime Minister.

Gillard at the Girls' Education Forum, held in London on 7 July 2016

After moving back to Adelaide, Gillard was appointed a visiting professor at the University of Adelaide in 2013. In October of that year, she joined the Brookings Institution's Center for Universal Education. In February 2014, Gillard became the chairwoman of the Global Partnership for Education. This international organization works to get all children into school for a quality education in the world's poorest countries.

In December 2014, Gillard joined the board of Beyond Blue. This is a mental health organization. She became the chair of Beyond Blue on 1 July 2017. This made her the first former prime minister since Malcolm Fraser to lead a mental health organization. In September 2016, Gillard was appointed a visiting professor at King's College London. She chairs the Global Institute for Women's Leadership there.

In 2017, Gillard was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This is a high honor given for outstanding service to Australia. It recognized her contributions as Prime Minister, especially in education, disability care, and foreign affairs. She was also recognized as a role model for women.

In April 2021, Gillard was appointed chair of the board of Governors at Wellcome Trust. This is a large charitable trust that supports research in medicine, public health, and climate change. In April 2021, she received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Government of Japan. This is a high Japanese honor.

Royal Commission into Early Education

In October 2022, it was announced that Julia Gillard would lead a Royal Commission into early education in South Australia. A Royal Commission is a major public inquiry. In August 2023, Gillard approved the release of the final report from this Royal Commission.

Personal Life

Julia Gillard met Tim Mathieson in 2004, and they started a relationship in 2006. They were partners for many years.

Julia Gillard does not have children. She has said that she focused on her career. She is a public supporter of the Western Bulldogs Australian rules football team. She also supports the Melbourne Storm rugby league team. She lives in Brighton, a beachside suburb in Adelaide.