Katy Gallagher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katy Gallagher
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Official portrait, 2022
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| Minister for Government Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 20 January 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Bill Shorten | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice-President of the Executive Council | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 23 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Simon Birmingham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Finance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 23 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Simon Birmingham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Women | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 23 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Marise Payne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for the Public Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 1 June 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Ben Morton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager of Government Business in the Senate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 31 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Anne Ruston | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senator for the Australian Capital Territory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 21 May 2019 |
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| Preceded by | David Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 March 2015 – 9 May 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Kate Lundy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | David Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Katherine Ruth Gallagher
18 March 1970 Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
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| Political party | Labor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residences | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Australian National University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profession | Community worker, union organiser | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Katherine Ruth Gallagher (born 18 March 1970) is an Australian politician. She is a key member of the Albanese Government. Since 2022, she has been the Minister for Finance, Minister for Women, Minister for the Public Service, and Vice-President of the Executive Council. From 2025, she will also be the Minister for Government Services.
Before joining federal politics, Katy Gallagher was the 6th Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 2011 to 2014. She has been a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory since 2019. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). She also served in the Senate from 2015 to 2018.
Katy Gallagher grew up in Canberra. She worked as a social worker and a union organiser. A union organiser helps workers with their rights. She was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in 2001. This is like the local parliament for Canberra. She became a minister in 2002 and Deputy Chief Minister in 2006. In 2011, she became Chief Minister. She led her party to win the 2012 election. She left her role in 2014 to try for a seat in the Senate.
In 2015, Katy Gallagher became a Senator. She joined the team of politicians who oppose the government, called the Shadow Ministry. In 2018, a court ruled she was not allowed to be a Senator. This was because she still had British citizenship when she was elected. She had to leave the Senate. However, she successfully ran again and returned to the Senate in 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Katy Gallagher was born and grew up in Waramanga, a suburb in Canberra. Her parents were Betsy and Charles Gallagher. Her father was born in England and her mother in Ecuador. Both became Australian citizens after moving to Australia in 1969. She has an older sister and two younger adopted brothers.
She went to Duffy Primary School, Melrose High School, and Canberra College. In 1990, she finished her studies at the Australian National University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology.
Katy Gallagher first worked as a social worker. She helped with a community project and worked with children with disabilities. From 1994 to 1997, she worked for People First ACT. This group supports people with intellectual disabilities.
In 1997, a sad event changed her life. Her fiancé, Brett Seaman, died in a cycling accident. At that time, Katy was pregnant with their first daughter. The union movement, which helps workers, supported her through this difficult time.
After this, Katy Gallagher took an administrative job at the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU). This was the same union where her fiancé had worked. This experience led her to become very involved in the labour movement. She later became a national organiser for the union.
Becoming a Politician in the ACT
The support Katy Gallagher received from the Labor Party and the union movement inspired her. She decided to run for election in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. This is the local parliament for Canberra. She ran for the Molonglo area in the 2001 election.
Labor won the election, led by Jon Stanhope. Katy Gallagher was elected as one of the members for Molonglo. She became a minister in the government in December 2002. She was in charge of education, youth, family services, women, and industrial relations.
In the 2004 election, Katy Gallagher was very popular. She was the first candidate elected to represent Molonglo. Her responsibilities as a minister were slightly changed.
Deputy Chief Minister Role
On 20 April 2006, Katy Gallagher was promoted. She became the Deputy Chief Minister. Her new responsibilities included health, disability and community services, and women. Later, she also took on the ministry for children and young people.
In the 2008 election, she was again very popular. She was the second candidate elected for Molonglo. In the new government, she also became responsible for treasury. This means she managed the government's money.
Managing Health Services
In 2010, there were concerns about Canberra Hospital. Some doctors had left, and there were calls for reviews. Katy Gallagher, as the health minister, agreed to two external reviews. These reviews looked at workplace issues and patient care. The patient care review found that patient care was good.
There was also a plan for the ACT Government to buy Calvary Hospital. This hospital was run by a Catholic group. There were disagreements about the purchase, and the government decided not to buy it.
Chief Minister of the ACT
On 12 May 2011, the Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, resigned. On 16 May 2011, Katy Gallagher was chosen by the Assembly to be the ACT's 6th Chief Minister. She was also the third woman to hold this position. In the 2012 election, her party won more seats. They stayed in government with the support of another politician.
Katy Gallagher supports same-sex marriage. On 22 October 2013, the ACT became the first place in Australia to pass a law allowing same-sex couples to marry. However, the High Court later overturned this law. They ruled that only the Australian Parliament could make changes to marriage laws.
During her time as Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher welcomed important visitors. These included The Queen in October 2011 and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in April 2014.
On 5 December 2014, Katy Gallagher announced she would resign as Chief Minister. She wanted to try for a seat in the Australian Senate. Her deputy, Andrew Barr, became the new Chief Minister on 11 December 2014.
Federal Politics
In Opposition
Katy Gallagher is part of the Labor Left group within the party. She became a Senator on 26 March 2015. On 25 September 2015, she joined the Shadow Ministry. This is a group of politicians from the opposition party who act as spokespeople for different areas.
On 13 October 2015, she was given roles in the Shadow Cabinet. She became the Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Housing and Homelessness, and Assisting the Leader on State and Territory Relations. After the 2016 election, she was promoted. She became the Shadow Minister for Small Business and Financial Services. She was also appointed as the Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate. This role involves managing the opposition's plans in the Senate.
In 2016, during a Senate meeting, Katy Gallagher accused another Senator of "mansplaining". This term means when a man explains something to a woman in a way that suggests she doesn't understand, even if she does. This moment became widely talked about.
On 9 May 2018, a court ruled that Katy Gallagher was not eligible to be a Senator. This was because she still had British citizenship when she nominated for the 2016 election. She had to leave the Senate.
Return to Politics
After leaving the Senate, Katy Gallagher worked as a consultant at Calvary Hospital. She also joined the board of the RSPCA ACT. In June 2018, she announced she would try to get back into the Senate. She was successfully re-elected in the 2019 federal election. She then became the Shadow Minister for Finance and the Public Service.
In April 2020, she became the head of a parliamentary committee. This committee looked into the government's response to the Coronavirus pandemic. In August 2021, she spoke out about the vaccine rollout. This was after her youngest daughter tested positive for the virus. The committee later suggested a major review of how the government handled the pandemic.
Katy Gallagher also introduced a new bill to parliament. A bill is a proposed law. This bill aimed to improve how the government reports on grants. Grants are money given by the government for specific projects.
In the Albanese Government (2022–present)
After the Labor Party won the federal election, Katy Gallagher was sworn in on 23 May 2022. She became the Minister for Finance, Minister for Health, Minister for Women, Minister for Social Services, and Attorney-General. Some of these roles were temporary until the full government cabinet was formed. On 1 June, she also became the Minister for the Public Service. She was also appointed Manager of Government Business in the Senate.
In October 2022, she became Acting Treasurer. This happened when the main Treasurer was overseas for meetings. She was only the second woman to hold this role.
In January 2025, Katy Gallagher will also become the Minister for Government Services. This is because Bill Shorten will be leaving parliament.
Personal Life
Katy Gallagher has three children with her partner, Dave Skinner. She is a vegetarian. She also plays the cello, which is a musical instrument. She used to play with the Canberra Youth Orchestra.
See also
- First Gallagher ministry
- Second Gallagher ministry
- Albanese ministry
- List of female heads of government in Australia
- List of the first women holders of political offices in Oceania
