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Prime Minister Julia Gillard (2010 – 2013)

Gillard

Julia Eileen Gillard was Australia’s first female prime minister. She overthrew Kevin Rudd in June 2010, narrowly survived the 2010 election and governed until June 2013 when Rudd overthrew her and led the ALP to defeat at the September 2013 election.

Gillard entered Parliament in 1998 as the Labor member for Lalor. She served in a variety of shadow ministries under the leadership of Kim Beazley, Simon Crean and Mark Latham. In 2006, she joined with Kevin Rudd to oust Beazley and became deputy leader of the party.

As Deputy Prime Minister, Gillard was also Minister for Education and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

Gillard challenged Rudd’s leadership on the evening of June 23, 2010. She was elected ALP leader unopposed after Rudd withdrew, on June 24, 2010.

Within three weeks of become prime minister, Gillard called an election for August 21. The ALP lost 11 seats and its majority in the House of Representatives. After signing deals with the Greens, the two rural independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, and the Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, Gillard formed a minority government.

Gillard called a leadership ballot in February 2012 and comprehensively defeated Kevin Rudd. Rudd challenged her again, successfully, on June 26, 2013.

Gillard left parliament at the September 7, 2013 federal election.

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    AustralianPolitics.com
    Malcolm Farnsworth
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