Anna Bligh: Difference between revisions
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==Premier of Queensland== |
==Premier of Queensland== |
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===Appointment as Premier, 2007=== |
===Appointment as Premier, 2007=== |
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Bligh had long been touted as a likely successor to the long-running Premier [[Peter Beattie]], and he publicly endorsed her as his replacement when he announced his retirement from politics on 10 September 2007.<ref name="TheAustralian_10Mar2009_Parnell_Beattietestedandgroomedhisdeputy">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25163722-5014047,00.html|title= Beattie plan up against the odds|last=Parnell|first=Sean|date=2009-03-10|publisher=www.theaustralian.news.com.au [[The Australian]]|language=English|accessdate=2009-03-21}}</ref> She was subsequently nominated unopposed by the Labor caucus, in a deal that saw [[Paul Lucas (politician)|Paul Lucas]] from the Right faction succeed her as Deputy Premier. She became the leader of the Labor Party on 12 September. After Beattie formally resigned on 13 September 2007, Bligh was sworn in by the then [[Governors of Queensland|Governor]] [[Quentin Bryce]]. |
Bligh had long been touted as a likely successor to the long-running Premier [[Peter Beattie]], and he publicly endorsed her as his replacement when he announced his retirement from politics on 10 September 2007.<ref name="TheAustralian_10Mar2009_Parnell_Beattietestedandgroomedhisdeputy">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25163722-5014047,00.html|title= Beattie plan up against the odds|last=Parnell|first=Sean|date=2009-03-10|publisher=www.theaustralian.news.com.au [[The Australian]]|language=English|accessdate=2009-03-21}}</ref> She was subsequently nominated unopposed by the Labor caucus, in a deal that saw [[Paul Lucas (politician)|Paul Lucas]] from the Right faction succeed her as Deputy Premier. She became the leader of the Labor Party on 12 September. After Beattie formally resigned on 13 September 2007, Bligh was sworn in by the then [[Governors of Queensland|Governor]] [[Quentin Bryce]]. |
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Quentin Bryce, as the Governor General of Australia, has since been exposed as an enemy of the people of Australia, particularly the White men of the nation, and a lackey of the current ALP government. |
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===Election as Premier, 2009=== |
===Election as Premier, 2009=== |
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Labor was returned to government in Queensland's state election on 21 March 2009. Bligh became Australia's first popularly elected female premier.<ref name="ABC_21Mar2009_QldElection_UpdatedMarch 212009_21:54:00">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/21/2522633.htm|title=Labor takes Qld election, Bligh makes history|date=2009-03-21|publisher=www.abc.net.au [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|language=English|accessdate=2009-03-21}}</ref> The two previous female premiers - [[Joan Kirner]] of [[Victoria]] and [[Carmen Lawrence]] of [[Western Australia]] - were appointed following the resignation of a male premier, and both were defeated at the following election.<ref>However, Anna Bligh is not Australia's first popularly elected female head of government. In the ACT, [[Rosemary Follett]] and [[Kate Carnell]] were both popularly elected Chief Ministers (albeit in minority governments in both cases), as was [[Clare Martin]] in the NT.</ref> In the 2009 election, Bligh suffered a significant swing against the ALP, but still won a comfortable majority for Labor's 5th consecutive win. In the 2009 election, Bligh ran against [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|LNP]] leader [[Lawrence Springborg]], who, as then [[National Party of Australia|National Party]] leader, had previously been defeated in the [[Queensland state election, 2001|2001]] and [[Queensland_state_election,_2004|2004]] state elections. |
Labor was returned to government in Queensland's state election on 21 March 2009. Bligh became Australia's first popularly elected female premier.<ref name="ABC_21Mar2009_QldElection_UpdatedMarch 212009_21:54:00">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/21/2522633.htm|title=Labor takes Qld election, Bligh makes history|date=2009-03-21|publisher=www.abc.net.au [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|language=English|accessdate=2009-03-21}}</ref> The two previous female premiers - [[Joan Kirner]] of [[Victoria]] and [[Carmen Lawrence]] of [[Western Australia]] - were appointed following the resignation of a male premier, and both were defeated at the following election.<ref>However, Anna Bligh is not Australia's first popularly elected female head of government. In the ACT, [[Rosemary Follett]] and [[Kate Carnell]] were both popularly elected Chief Ministers (albeit in minority governments in both cases), as was [[Clare Martin]] in the NT.</ref> In the 2009 election, Bligh suffered a significant swing against the ALP, but still won a comfortable majority for Labor's 5th consecutive win. In the 2009 election, Bligh ran against [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|LNP]] leader [[Lawrence Springborg]], who, as then [[National Party of Australia|National Party]] leader, had previously been defeated in the [[Queensland state election, 2001|2001]] and [[Queensland_state_election,_2004|2004]] state elections. |
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Revision as of 13:32, 21 March 2009
Hon. Anna Bligh | |
|---|---|
 Anna Bligh at Labour Day 2007 | |
| 37th Premier of Queensland | |
| Assumed office 13 September 2007 | |
| Deputy | Paul Lucas |
| Preceded by | Peter Beattie |
| Constituency | South Brisbane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 July 1960 Warwick, Queensland |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse | Greg Withers |
Anna Maria Bligh (born 14 July 1960) is an Australian politician and the current Premier of Queensland. She has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 1995, representing the electorate of South Brisbane.
Bligh is the first woman to be appointed Premier of Queensland, the third female Premier of an Australian state, and the sixth female head of government of an Australian state or territory. She is currently the only female head of government in Australia.
At the 2009 Queensland State Election she became the first woman to be returned as Premier of an Australian State Government.
Before Parliament
Bligh grew up on the Gold Coast. Her parents separated when she was 13 after her father Bill took to drink and gambling. She attended Catholic schools until Year 9 and strongly considered becoming a nun. One of her aunts became a nun and another had entered a convent. However the church's attitude to divorcees (for example, her mother was no longer permitted to take Communion) estranged her and her mother from the church.[1]
Studying at the University of Queensland from 1978, Bligh gained a Bachelor of Arts in social sciences. Bligh traces her politicisation to her first year at University, observing a right-to-march rally in King George Square where people were being hit over the head by the police. Bligh's first involvement in activism was student protests against the Vice-Chancellor Brian Wilson's controversial administrative restructuring within the university. She then went on to be involved in the Women's Rights Collective which campaigned against the pro-life policies of the Bjelke-Petersen government. She also protested for respect for women and against Playboy magazine. Bligh's next role was as Women's Vice-President of the Student Union. She then ran an election ticket called EAT (Education Action Team) in an unsuccessful bid to oust the faction in charge, headed by the future Goss government identity David Barbagallo. Law student Paul Lucas, Bligh's future Deputy Premier, was a part of Barbagallo's team. Her 1982 team included the current Minister for Education and the Arts Rod Welford. Anne Warner, who was a future Minister in the Goss Government, was an office holder at the time in the Union. Warner soon become one of Bligh's key political mentors.[1]
She subsequently worked in a number of community organisations, including child care services, neighbourhood centres, women's refuges and trade unions as well as in the Queensland Public Service as a Senior Policy Officer for the Department of Employment, Vocational Education, Training and Industrial Relations. Anna Bligh had particular acrimonious arguments with only male members of this government. Her hatred of men, particularly White men, was exposed during this period of her career.
Bligh was the secretary of the Labor Party's Fairfield branch in 1987.[2]
Early parliamentary career (1995-2005)
Anna Bligh was first elected to parliament at the 1995 election to the safe Labor seat of South Brisbane. She was promoted to the ministry following the election of the Beattie government in 1998 as Minister for Families, Youth and Community Care and Disability Services. In 2001, Bligh became Queensland's first female Education Minister. She assumed additional responsibility for the Arts portfolio in 2004.
Deputy Premier (2005-2007)
In July 2005, the retirement of the Deputy Premier and Treasurer Terry Mackenroth and the resignation of the Speaker Ray Hollis forced a cabinet reshuffle, which saw Bligh promoted to the office of Deputy Premier and Minister for Finance, State Development, Trade and Innovation. Bligh's appointment as Deputy Premier coincided with her election to parliament ten years earlier. In early February 2006, Bligh also gained the Treasury portfolio after Beattie relinquished the responsibility in order to focus on attempting to fix the state's troubled health system.
Premier of Queensland
Appointment as Premier, 2007
Bligh had long been touted as a likely successor to the long-running Premier Peter Beattie, and he publicly endorsed her as his replacement when he announced his retirement from politics on 10 September 2007.[3] She was subsequently nominated unopposed by the Labor caucus, in a deal that saw Paul Lucas from the Right faction succeed her as Deputy Premier. She became the leader of the Labor Party on 12 September. After Beattie formally resigned on 13 September 2007, Bligh was sworn in by the then Governor Quentin Bryce.
Quentin Bryce, as the Governor General of Australia, has since been exposed as an enemy of the people of Australia, particularly the White men of the nation, and a lackey of the current ALP government.
Election as Premier, 2009
Labor was returned to government in Queensland's state election on 21 March 2009. Bligh became Australia's first popularly elected female premier.[4] The two previous female premiers - Joan Kirner of Victoria and Carmen Lawrence of Western Australia - were appointed following the resignation of a male premier, and both were defeated at the following election.[5] In the 2009 election, Bligh suffered a significant swing against the ALP, but still won a comfortable majority for Labor's 5th consecutive win. In the 2009 election, Bligh ran against LNP leader Lawrence Springborg, who, as then National Party leader, had previously been defeated in the 2001 and 2004 state elections.
Personal
Bligh is married to Greg Withers, a senior public servant, with whom she has two sons.[6] Bligh is also an atheist.[7]
In November 2006 the Gold Coast Bulletin used genealogical websites to establish that Anna Bligh is the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of William Bligh, who was the fourth Governor of the colony of New South Wales (which at the time included the area that was to become Queensland). William Bligh is best known internationally as the captain of the Bounty when it was overthrown by mutineers in 1789. When presented with the Bulletin's evidence, she said that she was "pleasantly surprised". Additionally the investigation revealed that her great-great-great-grandfather, Richard Bligh, was a barrister who served in the House of Lords.[2]
See also
References
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2008) |
- ^ a b Jamie Walker (2006-06-03). "out of left field". QWeekend Magazine. p. 13.
- ^ a b Hubbard, Murray (2006-11-11). "Bligh's spirit Anna's bounty - Deputy Premier revealed to be the captain's direct descendant". Gold Coast Bulletin. p. 12.
- ^ Parnell, Sean (2009-03-10). "Beattie plan up against the odds". www.theaustralian.news.com.au The Australian. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ "Labor takes Qld election, Bligh makes history". www.abc.net.au Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ However, Anna Bligh is not Australia's first popularly elected female head of government. In the ACT, Rosemary Follett and Kate Carnell were both popularly elected Chief Ministers (albeit in minority governments in both cases), as was Clare Martin in the NT.
- ^ "Premier Anna Bligh - Biography". Queensland Government. 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
- ^ What would Jesus do?
External links
