List of female heads of government in Australia

An animated timeline showing all the women who have been appointed to or elected to the position of head of government in Australian states and territories

A total of eleven women have served, or are serving, as the head of an Australian government. Of these, one has served as the prime minister of Australia, six as the premiers of a state and four as the chief minister of a territory. Fourteen women have also served, or are serving, as the deputy head of government in Australian states and territories; one has served as the deputy prime minister of the country, eight as the deputy premier of a state, and five as the chief minister of a territory.

The first female head of government in Australia, was Rosemary Follett in 1989, who was the 1st Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. Carmen Lawrence became the first female premier of a state in 1990, by serving as the 25th Premier of Western Australia. In 2010, Julia Gillard became the first, and to date, only female Prime Minister of Australia.

Today, every Australian state and territory has had at least one female government head, except for South Australia. The most female heads at one time was four, for 315 days, from 16 May 2011 to 26 March 2012. Clare Martin, who served as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory for 6 years, from 2001 to 2007, has the longest–serving tenure of any female head of government in Australia. Queensland's Anna Bligh served as the Premier of Queensland for 4 years, from 2007 to 2012, making her the longest–serving woman premier of a state. The shortest tenure of a former female head of government, belongs to Kristina Keneally, who served as the Premier of New South Wales for a year, from 2009 to 2011.

There is currently one serving female head of government in Australia, Annastacia Palaszczuk (39th Premier of Queensland), who was elected on 14 February 2015. Jackie Trad is currently serving as the Deputy Premier of Queensland since the aforementioned date, Liza Harvey is serving as the first female Deputy Premier of Western Australia since 16 February 2016, Nicole Manison is the Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory since 12 September 2016, and Yvette Berry is the Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory since 31 October 2016. The tenures of these incumbents are accurate as of 8 December 2016.

Female heads of government

Heads

Portrait Title Name
(birth–death)		 State or Territory Date Assumed Office Date Departed Office Elections Duration Political Party Leadership history and electoral Mandates
Chief Minister Rosemary Follett
(b. 1948)		 Australian Capital Territory 11 May 1989 5 December 1989 1992,
1995		 4 years, 112 days Labor Appointed 1st Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory in May 1989. Defeated in a vote-of-no-confidence in December 1989, to Trevor Kaine. Returned to power in June 1991, following a vote-of-no-confidence against Kaine. Led Labor to victory at the 1992 general election. Defeated by the Liberals under Kate Carnell at the 1995 general election. First woman to become Chief Minister of a Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia. Only female government head to serve non-consecutive terms.[1]
6 June 1991 2 March 1995
Premier Carmen Lawrence
(b. 1948)		 Western Australia 12 February 1990 16 February 1993 1993 3 years, 4 days Labor Became 25th Premier of Western Australia in February 1990, following the resignation of Peter Dowding. Defeated at the state election in February 1993, by Richard Court (Liberal). First woman to become Premier of Western Australia, and hence, of a State within the Commonwealth of Australia.
Premier Joan Kirner
(1938–2015)		 Victoria 10 August 1990 6 October 1992 1992 2 years, 57 days Labor Became 42nd Premier of Victoria in August 1990, following the resignation of John Cain II. Defeated at the state election in October 1992, by Jeff Kennett (Liberal). First, and to date, only woman Premier of Victoria.[2]
Chief Minister Kate Carnell
(b. 1955)		 Australian Capital Territory 2 March 1995 18 October 2000 1995,
1998		 5 years, 230 days Liberal Elected 3rd Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory in March 1995, after defeating Labor under Rosemary Follett at the general election. Led the Liberals to victory at the 1998 general election. Resigned in October 2000.[3]
Chief Minister Clare Martin
(b. 1952)		 Northern Territory 18 August 2001 26 November 2007 2001,
2005		 6 years, 100 days Labor Elected 7th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory in August 2001, after defeating the Country Liberal Party under Denis Burke at the general election. Led Labor to victory at the 2005 general election. Resigned in November 2007. First woman Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, and the longest-serving woman head of government in Australia.[4]
Premier Anna Bligh
(b. 1960)		 Queensland 13 September 2007 26 March 2012 2009,
2012		 4 years, 195 days Labor Became 37th Premier of Queensland in September 2007, following the retirement of Peter Beattie. Led Labor to victory at the 2009 state election. Defeated at the 2012 state election in March 2012, by Campbell Newman (Liberal). First woman Premier of Queensland.[5][6]
Premier Kristina Keneally
(b. 1968)		 New South Wales 4 December 2009 28 March 2011 2011 1 year, 114 days Labor Became 42nd Premier of New South Wales in December 2009, following a Labor Party leadership challenge against Nathan Rees. Defeated at the state election in March 2011, by Barry O'Farrell (Liberal). First, and to date, only woman Premier of New South Wales.[7]
Prime Minister Julia Gillard
(b. 1961)		 Australia
(Federal)		 24 June 2010 27 June 2013 2010 3 years, 3 days Labor Became 27th Prime Minister of Australia in June 2010, following a Labor Party leadership challenge against Kevin Rudd. Led Labor to victory at the 2010 federal election. Defeated in a leadership challenge by Rudd, in June 2013. First, and to date, only woman Prime Minister of Australia.[8]
Premier Lara Giddings
(b. 1972)		 Tasmania 24 January 2011 31 March 2014 2014 3 years, 66 days Labor Became 44th Premier of Tasmania in January 2011, following the resignation of David Bartlett. Defeated at the state election, in March 2014. First, and to date, only woman Premier of Tasmania.[9][10][11]
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher
(b. 1970)		 Australian Capital Territory 16 May 2011 11 December 2014 2012 3 years, 209 days Labor Became 6th Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory in May 2011, following the resignation of Jon Stanhope. Led Labor to victory at the 2012 general election. Resigned in December 2014.[12]
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
(b. 1969)		 Queensland 14 February 2015 Incumbent 2015 1 year, 298 days Labor Elected 39th Premier of Queensland in February 2015, after defeating the Liberals under Campbell Newman at the state election.[13][14]

Deputy heads

Name State/
Territory		 Party Premier/
Chief Minister/
Prime Minister		 Term Start Term End Duration
Joan Kirner Victoria Labor John Cain II 7 February 1989 10 August 1990 1 year, 184 days
Joan Sheldon Queensland Liberal Rob Borbidge 19 February 1996 26 June 1998 2 years, 127 days
Sue Napier Tasmania Liberal Tony Rundle 18 March 1996 14 September 1998 2 years, 180 days
Anna Bligh Queensland Labor Peter Beattie 28 July 2005 13 September 2007 2 years, 47 days
Katy Gallagher Australian Capital Territory Labor Jon Stanhope 20 April 2006 16 May 2011 5 years, 26 days
Marion Scrymgour Northern Territory Labor Paul Henderson 26 November 2007 8 February 2009 1 year, 74 days
Julia Gillard Australia Labor Kevin Rudd 3 December 2007 24 June 2010 2 years, 203 days
Lara Giddings Tasmania Labor David Bartlett 26 May 2008 24 January 2011 2 years, 243 days
Carmel Tebbutt New South Wales Labor Nathan Rees,
Kristina Keneally 		5 September 2008 28 March 2011 2 years, 204 days
Delia Lawrie Northern Territory Labor Paul Henderson 9 February 2009 29 August 2012 3 years, 202 days
Robyn Lambley Northern Territory Country Liberal Terry Mills 29 August 2012 6 April 2013 251 days
Jackie Trad Queensland Labor Annastacia Palaszczuk 14 February 2015 Incumbent 1 year, 298 days
Liza Harvey Western Australia Liberal Colin Barnett 16 February 2016 Incumbent 296 days
Nicole Manison Northern Territory Labor Michael Gunner 12 September 2016 Incumbent 87 days
Yvette Berry Australian Capital Territory Labor Andrew Barr 31 October 2016 Incumbent 38 days[15]

Timeline

Heads

Annastacia Palaszczuk Katy Gallagher Lara Giddings Julia Gillard Kristina Keneally Anna Bligh Clare Martin Kate Carnell Rosemary Follett Joan Kirner Carmen Lawrence Rosemary Follett

Red represents members of the Australian Labor Party, blue represents members of the Liberal Party of Australia.

Deputy heads

Yvette Berry Nicole Manison Liza Harvey Jackie Trad Robyn Lambley Delia Lawrie Carmel Tebbutt Lara Giddings Julia Gillard Marion Scrymgour Katy Gallagher Anna Bligh Sue Napier Joan Sheldon Joan Kirner

Red represents members of the Australian Labor Party, blue represents members of the Liberal Party of Australia and orange represents the Country Liberal Party.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Profile. womenaustralia.info. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  2. ↑ Wallace, Rick (1 June 2015). "Joan Kirner, first female premier of Victoria, dies aged 76". The Australian. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  3. ↑ "Carnell, Anne Katherine – profile". Encyclopedia of Australian Science. 1 August 2007. Archived from the original on 20 January 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  4. ↑ Murdoch, Lindsay. "Clare Martin and deputy quit". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Koren Helbig; Sarah Vogler (25 March 2012). "Anna Bligh quits: 'Labor cannot rebuild with me in its ranks'". The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Bligh resigns after election wipe-out". ABC News. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Keneally sworn in as state's first female premier". Herald Sun. 4 December 2009.
  8. ↑ "The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Member for Lalor (Vic)". Australian House of Representatives. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  9. ↑ "Bartlett confirms resignation on Facebook". ABC News. Australia. 23 January 2011.
  10. ↑ "Tasmanian premier to resign". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 23 January 2011.
  11. ↑ Atherton, Ben (15 March 2014). "Liberals swept to power in Tasmania, Labor fights to the death in South Australia". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "Katy Gallagher resigns as Chief Minister, declares for Senate". The Canberra Times. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  13. ↑ Robertson, Joshua (13 February 2015). "Annastacia Palaszczuk new premier of Queensland after Labor wins 44 seats". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  14. ↑ "Queensland election 2015: Annastacia Palaszczuk sworn in as Premier". Australian Broadcasting Corporation 14 February 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  15. ↑ Lawson, Kirsten. (17 October 2016). "ACT election 2016: Yvette Berry backed for Labor deputy as Greens weigh up coalition or crossbench". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Women of Australia.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/29/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.