Julia Gillard

• 1. Wales To Adelaide

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  Julia Eileen Gillard was born on the 29th of September 1961 in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Her father John Oliver Gillard worked as a psychiatric nurse and her mother Moira Mackenzie worked in a Salvation Army nursing home. The family migrated to Australia in 1966 after doctors advised that a warmer climate would help young Julia recover from bronchopneumonia. They settled in Adelaide, South Australia, spending their first month at the Pennington Hostel before becoming Australian citizens in 1974. This dual citizenship status persisted until she renounced her British citizenship prior to entering parliament in 1998.

• 2. Law And Union Leadership

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  Gillard attended Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School before studying at the University of Adelaide. She switched universities in 1982 to work with the Australian Union of Students where she became president from 1983 to 1984. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1986 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 from the University of Melbourne. In 1987 she joined the law firm Slater & Gordon in Werribee, Victoria, specializing in industrial law. By 1990 she was admitted as a partner at age 29, making her one of the youngest partners and one of the first women to hold that position within the firm.

• 3. Rise Through Labor Ranks

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  From 1985 to 1989 Gillard served as president of the Carlton branch of the Labor Party. She stood for preselection in the Division of Melbourne before the 1993 federal election but lost to Lindsay Tanner. At the 1996 federal election she won third place on Labor's Senate ticket in Victoria but was defeated by Lyn Allison of the Australian Democrats. In 1996 she resigned from Slater & Gordon to serve as chief of staff to John Brumby, Leader of the Opposition in Victoria. She drafted affirmative-action rules setting a target of 35 per cent winnable seats for women and helped found EMILY's List. She was first elected to the House of Representatives at the 1998 federal election representing Lalor replacing Barry Jones who retired.

• 4. The June Spill Of 2010

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  Prime Minister Kevin Rudd suffered declining personal ratings following failures regarding insulation programs and mining tax implementation. On the 23rd of June 2010 he announced that Gillard had asked him to hold a leadership ballot the next day. As late as May 2010 Gillard had quipped there was more chance of her becoming full-forward for the Dogs than any change in the party. Hours before the vote on the 24th of June Rudd resigned leaving Gillard to assume leadership unopposed. Treasurer Wayne Swan was simultaneously elected deputy leader. Gillard was sworn in as the 27th prime minister by Governor-General Quentin Bryce with Swan as deputy prime minister. The members of the Rudd Ministry became the First Gillard Ministry making it the first time both head of state and government were female.

• 5. Education And Carbon Policy

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  Gillard held education responsibilities for four days after becoming prime minister before appointing Simon Crean on the 28th of June 2010. Following the 2010 election Peter Garrett assumed the role until June 2013. In January 2011 the government extended tax cuts under the Education Tax Refund scheme. The committee chaired by David Gonski presented findings in November 2011 leading to reforms known as Gonski funding. She launched the Digital Education Revolution program providing laptops to public secondary students and oversaw Building the Education Revolution which allocated $16 billion for new school accommodation. The government introduced a carbon price via the Clean Energy Act 2011 establishing a fixed-price tax transitioning to an emissions trading scheme within years.

• 6. Asian Century Strategy

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  The Gillard government released the Asian Century White Paper in October 2012 offering a strategic framework for Australia's navigation of the Asian Century. It included focus on relations with China, India, ASEAN countries, Japan and South Korea. On the 19th of October 2012 Australia secured election to a Non-Permanent Member seat on the United Nations Security Council. Relations with India improved throughout her premiership following a ban on uranium sales imposed by the Rudd government in 2007. In November 2011 Gillard announced a desire to allow uranium exports to India as a matter of national interest. She reversed the ban on the 4th of December 2011 after securing strict safeguards ensuring civilian use only.

• 7. Misogyny And Parliament

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  During August 2012 press conferences regarding the AWU affair Gillard criticized The Australian newspaper for writing about her connection to the scandal. She described herself as the subject of a very sexist smear campaign involving misogynist nut jobs on the internet. On the 9th of October 2012 she raised sexism and misogyny in a speech opposing a motion to remove Peter Slipper from his role as Speaker. The speech was widely reported around the world with praise from leaders including François Hollande and Helle Thorning-Schmidt. US President Barack Obama reportedly complimented her privately while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called it very striking chapter and verse.

• 8. Legacy And Honors

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  Following her defeat in the leadership vote on the 26th of June 2013 Gillard tendered resignation taking effect the next day upon Rudd's swearing-in. Her parliamentary service ended at the dissolution of parliament on the 5th of August 2013. By conclusion of tenure she overtook Gough Whitlam as the 15th longest-serving prime minister having served three full years. In July 2013 she signed a book deal for memoirs published by Random House in 2014 titled My Story. She became chairwoman of the Global Partnership for Education in February 2014 and joined Beyond Blue board in December 2014 becoming chair on the 1st of July 2017. Political experts now place her in the middle-to-upper tier of Australian prime ministers despite poor polling during her term.