Lara Giddings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lara Giddings
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Giddings in 2013
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| 44th Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 24 January 2011 – 31 March 2014 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Peter Underwood |
| Deputy | Bryan Green |
| Preceded by | David Bartlett |
| Succeeded by | Will Hodgman |
| Deputy Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 26 May 2008 – 24 January 2011 |
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| Premier | David Bartlett |
| Preceded by | David Bartlett |
| Succeeded by | Bryan Green |
| Treasurer of Tasmania | |
| In office 6 December 2010 – 31 March 2014 |
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| Premier | David Bartlett |
| Preceded by | Michael Aird |
| Succeeded by | Peter Gutwein |
| Member of the Tasmanian Parliament for Franklin |
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| In office 20 July 2002 – 3 March 2018 |
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| Member of the Tasmanian Parliament for Lyons |
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| In office 24 February 1996 – 29 August 1998 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Larissa Tahireh Giddings
14 November 1972 Goroka, Papua New Guinea |
| Political party | Labor |
| Domestic partner | Ian Magill |
| Children | 1 plus 4 stepchildren |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania |
| Occupation | Politician |
Larissa Tahireh "Lara" Giddings (born 14 November 1972) is an Australian former politician. She was the 44th Premier of Tasmania from 2011 to 2014. A Premier is like the leader of the state government. Lara Giddings was the first woman to hold this important position in Tasmania.
She was born in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. Giddings was a member of the Labor Party. She represented the area of Franklin in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 2002 to 2018. As of 2025, she is the most recent Labor Party Premier of Tasmania.
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Early Life and Education
Lara Giddings was born on 14 November 1972 in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. When she was a teenager, she attended Methodist Ladies' College in Melbourne. She lived at the school as a boarder. At 18, she joined the Australian Labor Party.
Giddings later studied at the University of Tasmania. She earned university degrees in Arts and Law.
Her Time in Parliament
Starting Her Political Journey
Lara Giddings was first elected to parliament in 1996. She represented the area of Lyons. She was only 23 years old, making her the youngest woman ever elected to an Australian Parliament at that time. However, she was not re-elected in 1998.
After leaving parliament, she worked for a Senator named Kerry O'Brien. She then traveled to Britain and worked for a Scottish Parliament member, Helen Eadie.
Lara returned to Tasmania in 2000. She worked for the Tasmanian Premier, Jim Bacon, helping him with speeches and media. She also worked for another politician, Fran Bladel.
Becoming a Minister
In 2002, Giddings was elected again to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. This time, she represented the Division of Franklin. From 2004 to 2006, she became a Minister in the Labor government. She was the Minister for Economic Development and the Minister for the Arts.
After the 2006 election, she became the Minister for Health and Human Services. This meant she was in charge of health care and social services for the state. She worked on plans to build a new Royal Hobart Hospital.
Becoming Deputy Premier
On 26 May 2008, the Premier, Paul Lennon, stepped down. David Bartlett became the new Premier. Lara Giddings was chosen as the Deputy Leader of the party. This made her the Deputy Premier of Tasmania. She was the second woman in Tasmania's history to hold this role.
Becoming Premier
On 23 January 2011, David Bartlett decided to step down as Premier. He said that "Lara Giddings will be an outstanding Premier." The very next day, the Labor Party members in parliament chose Giddings as their leader. This meant she became the Premier of Tasmania. She was the first woman to ever be Premier of Tasmania.
Her government was defeated in the state election on 15 March 2014. After this, Giddings decided to return to being a regular member of parliament. Her deputy, Bryan Green, became the new leader of the Tasmanian Labor Party.
On 14 May 2017, Lara Giddings announced that she would retire from politics. She left parliament at the next state election in 2018.
Life After Politics
In March 2019, Lara Giddings became the chief executive of the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA). This organization represents doctors in Australia.
Her Family Life
In September 2017, Lara Giddings announced she was expecting a baby. She was 44 years old. In January 2018, she gave birth to a baby girl with her partner, Ian Magill. She also became a step-mother to Ian's four children from previous relationships.
Awards and Recognition
In 2016, an official portrait of Lara Giddings was put on display at Parliament House in Hobart.
On 16 August 2017, she was given the right to use the title "The Honourable" for the rest of her life. In 2024, Giddings was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. This award recognized her great service to the people and Parliament of Tasmania, and to the community.
See also
- List of female heads of government in Australia
