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 |
Lara Giddings (born 14 November 1972) is an Australian politician. She was the 44th Premier of Tasmania from 2011 to 2014. She was the first woman to be Premier of Tasmania. Lara was born in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. She was a member of the Labor Party in the Tasmanian Parliament. She represented the area of Franklin from 2002 to 2018. She led the Labor Party while she was Premier.
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Early Life and Education
Lara Giddings was born on 14 November 1972. She grew up in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. As a teenager, she studied at Methodist Ladies' College in Melbourne. She lived there as a boarder.
When she was 18, Lara joined the Australian Labor Party. She later went to the University of Tasmania. There, she earned degrees in Arts and Law.
Starting Her Political Career
Lara Giddings was first elected to parliament in 1996. She was elected in the area of Lyons. She was only 23 years old at the time. This made her the youngest woman ever elected to an Australian Parliament.
However, she lost her seat in the 1998 election. After that, she worked for Senator Kerry O'Brien. She then traveled to Britain for a year. In London, she did temporary office work. Later, she worked for Helen Eadie in the Scottish Parliament.
Lara returned to Tasmania in 2000. She worked for the Tasmanian Premier, Jim Bacon. She helped him write speeches and with media. She also worked for Fran Bladel, a member of Parliament.
Becoming a Minister
In 2002, Lara Giddings was elected again. She became one of the five members for the Tasmanian House of Assembly in Franklin. She was a member of the Labor Party.
From 2004 to 2006, she was a Minister. She was the Minister for Economic Development. She was also the Minister for the Arts. This was under the Labor government led by Paul Lennon.
After the 2006 election, she became the Minister for Health and Human Services. Her job included planning a new Royal Hobart Hospital. She faced challenges with hospital conditions. She said the federal government needed to provide more money.
Premier of Tasmania
On 26 May 2008, the Premier, Paul Lennon, resigned. David Bartlett became the new Premier. Lara Giddings was chosen as the Deputy Leader. This made her the Deputy Premier of Tasmania. She was the second woman in Tasmania to hold this role.
On 23 January 2011, David Bartlett stepped down as Premier. He said Lara Giddings would be an "outstanding Premier." The next day, Lara Giddings was chosen as the new leader. She became the Premier of Tasmania. She was the first woman to hold this important position.
Her government lost the election on 15 March 2014. After the defeat, Lara Giddings decided to return to being a regular member of parliament. This was unusual for a former Premier. Bryan Green took over as the leader of the Labor Party in Tasmania.
On 14 May 2017, Lara Giddings announced her retirement. She left politics at the next Tasmanian state election in 2018.
Life After Politics
In March 2019, Lara Giddings started a new role. She became the chief executive of the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
Personal Life
In 2011, Lara Giddings shared that her political career might mean she would not have children. In September 2017, she announced she was pregnant at 44. In January 2018, she gave birth to a baby girl. She had the child with her partner, Ian Magill. She also became a step-mother to his four children from previous relationships.
Honours and Recognition
In 2016, an official portrait of Lara Giddings was revealed. It is displayed at Parliament House in Hobart.
On 16 August 2017, she was given the right to use the title "The Honourable" for life. In 2024, Lara Giddings was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. This honour was for her great service to the people and Parliament of Tasmania.
See also
- List of female heads of government in Australia
