Katy Gallagher was today appointed Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, following the retirement of Jon Stanhope.
Gallagher was elected unopposed by the ALP caucus on May 13. She was endorsed by a vote of the ACT Legislative Assembly today, winning 11 votes to 6 for the Liberal leader Zed Seselja. Her deputy is Andrew Barr.
Gallagher, 40, brings to four the number of female heads of government in Australia. She joins Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings, all of them from the Labor Party.
The five male leaders are: Premier Barry O’Farrell (NSW), Premier Ted Baillieu (Vic), Premier Mike Rann (SA), Premier Colin Barnett (WA) and Chief Minister Paul Henderson (NT).
The longest serving head of government is South Australian Labor Premier Mike Rann who has been in office since March 2002. The longest serving Opposition Leader is Tasmanian Liberal Will Hodgman who has held the position since March 2006.
- Table of Current Australian Heads of Government and Opposition Leaders
- Colour-coded table of Australian Federal, State and Territory Governments Since 1930
