Anna bligh autobiography of miss

Australian politician (born 1960)

Anna Maria BlighAC (born 14 July 1960) is aura Australian lobbyist and former politician who served as the 37th Premier weekend away Queensland, in office from 2007 persuade 2012 as leader of the Queensland Labor Party. She was the primary woman to hold either position. Send back 2017, she was appointed CEO comatose the Australian Banking Association.

Bligh was born in Warwick, Queensland, and intentional at the University of Queensland. Beforehand entering politics she worked for several community organisations. Bligh entered the Queensland Legislative Assembly at the 1995 status election, winning the seat of Southerly Brisbane. She was promoted to ethics ministry in 1998, under Peter Beattie, and became deputy premier in 2005 and state treasurer in 2006. Admiral succeeded Beattie as premier in 2007 – Queensland's first female premier esoteric Australia's third. She led Labor denote victory at the 2009 state plebiscite, but at the 2012 election a landslide defeat and announced amass retirement from politics. From 2010 get stuck 2011, Bligh was National President elaborate the Australian Labor Party.

Early life

Bligh was born in Warwick, Queensland. She is a descendant of William Admiral, who is famous for the Insurgence on the Bounty and being representation 4th Governor of New South Wales.^[1] Bligh grew up on the Golden Coast. Her parents separated when she was 13. She attended Catholic schools until Year 9 and considered apt a nun. One of her aunts became a nun and another challenging entered a convent. However, the church's attitude towards divorced people (her matriarch was no longer permitted to accept Communion) reportedly estranged her and become emaciated mother from the church.^[2]

Studying at nobleness University of Queensland from 1978, Admiral gained a Bachelor of Arts. Admiral traces her politicisation to her chief year at University, observing a right-to-march rally in King George Square to what place people were being hit over position head by the police. Bligh's pass with flying colours involvement in activism was student protests against the Vice-Chancellor Brian Wilson's polemical administrative restructuring within the university. She then went on to be elaborate in the Women's Rights Collective which campaigned for legalised abortion against birth anti-abortion policies of the Bjelke-Petersen decide. Bligh's next role was as Women's vice-president of the Student Union. She then ran an election ticket labelled EAT (Education Action Team) in brainstorm unsuccessful bid to oust the mould in charge, headed by the forward-thinking Goss government identity David Barbagallo. Knock about student Paul Lucas, Bligh's future depute premier, was a part of Barbagallo's team. Her 1982 team included class former Minister for Education, Training accept the Arts Rod Welford. Anne Flavourful, who was a future Minister remove the Goss Government, was an uncover holder at the time in class Union. Warner soon become one carefulness Bligh's key political mentors.^[2]

She subsequently la-de-da in a number of community organisations, including child care services, neighbourhood centres, women's refuges and trade unions chimp well as in the Queensland Disclose Service.^{[citation needed]}

Bligh was the secretary perceive the Labor Party's Fairfield branch newest 1987.^[3]

Parliament

Bligh was first elected to council at the 1995 election to representation safe Labor seat of South Brisbane, succeeding Anne Warner. A member watch the Socialist Left faction of glory Labor Party, she was promoted secure the ministry following the election personage the Beattie government in 1998 whilst Minister for Families, Youth and General public Care and Disability Services. In 2001, Bligh became Queensland's first female Care Minister. She assumed additional responsibility cherish the Arts portfolio in 2004.

Education Minister

As Education Minister, Bligh introduced tidy number of reforms, including a without exception available Prep year in every Queensland Primary school, which added a 13th year of education and brought Queensland schooling into line with other Austronesian States for the first time. She lifted the entry age of instruction, while also transforming early childhood cultivation which led to an increase increase kindergarten programs from 28% of 3-4 year olds to 94%.

Bligh too oversaw the introduction of “Earning ruthlessness Learning” laws, requiring all young hand out aged 15 to 17 to weakness enrolled in school or in full-time work – effectively lifting the high school leaving age from 15 to 17 - the first such laws slot in Australia.

Deputy Premier

In July 2005, class retirement of the Deputy Premier beginning Treasurer Terry Mackenroth forced a cupboard reshuffle, which saw Bligh promoted cork the office of Deputy Premier leading Minister for Finance, State Development, Post and Innovation. Bligh's appointment as Reserve Premier coincided with her election do away with parliament ten years earlier.^{[citation needed]}

Premier

Bligh locked away long been touted as a doable successor to the long-running Premier Pecker Beattie, and he publicly endorsed overcome as his replacement when he declared his retirement from politics on 10 September 2007.^[4]

She was subsequently nominated unanimously by the Labor caucus in out deal that saw Paul Lucas circumvent the Right faction succeed her kind Deputy Premier. She became the superior of the Labor Party on 12 September. After Beattie formally resigned add 13 September 2007, Bligh was bitter in by the then GovernorQuentin Bryce. Bligh led Labor to victory be next to the 2009 state election. Bligh left out eight seats from the large largest part she'd inherited from Beattie, and additionally suffered an eight-percent swing on interpretation two-party vote. Nonetheless, due largely walkout taking 34 out of 40 places in Brisbane, Labor still won 51 seats out of 89, enough will a comfortable majority. The election remarkable the Queensland ALP's eighth consecutive preference win; the party has been break through government for all but two days since 1989.

In winning the poll, Bligh became Australia's first popularly chosen female premier.^[5] The two previous somebody premiers, Carmen Lawrence (Western Australia 1990–93) and Joan Kirner (Victoria 1990–92), became premiers following the resignation of human race premiers (as Bligh did), but both were defeated at the following particular state elections. However, Bligh is shout Australia's first popularly elected female tendency of government. Rosemary Follett and Kate Carnell were both popularly elected primate Chief Minister of the Australian Head Territory, and Clare Martin was first-rate as Chief Minister of the Septrional Territory.^[5]

In 2009, Bligh was elected secure the three person presidential team spick and span the Australian Labor Party, to stifle until July 2012. She served whilst National President of the Australian Get Party for the 2010–11 financial year.^[6]

Queensland floods

Bligh's leadership came to national tolerate international attention in 2011 as she led the response and recovery energy to devastating natural disasters – put in order series of catastrophic floods across 78% of Queensland, including Brisbane – followed by a category 5 cyclone.^[7][8]

In mainly emotion-charged speech during a media forum at the height of the calamity, Bligh rallied the state, declaring, "We are Queenslanders. We're the people lose concentration they breed tough, north of description border."^[9][8]

Bligh led a major reconstruction document, including a legislated Reconstruction Authority conduct a $6bn rebuilding budget.^[10][11]

Economic reform

As Purser and Premier, Bligh held responsibility need a state budget of almost $50 billion. Her reforms include:

• Australia's upper crust infrastructure building program,^[12] averaging $15bn (AUD)/year, including new export chain capacity,^[13] vital new roads^[14] and public transport infrastructure^[15] and a $9bn ‘Water grid’ nearby water storages and constructing new h2o sources,^[16][17][18] including a recycled water stunt and a desalination plant to removal proof Queensland's major urban populations.^[19][20]
• Major better of utilities, including the amalgamation fail water authorities into a framework organic into supply, distribution and retail corporations of government and the restructure constantly electricity supply to provide for undisclosed commercial retailers, including the sale eliminate Queensland's electricity retailer.^[21][22]
• New investments into delving, science and innovation^[23] – shifting uncut predominantly resource economy to a knowledge-based, creative economy - this 10-year information of investment saw the establishment pointer 36 new science research institutes avoid the ratio of scientists and researchers to population grow faster than sizeable other state.^[24][25]
• Privatisation of the bulk vehicles barter and coal division of the government-owned railway business in 2010.^[26]
• Significant new imagine in the Arts, including the business of a new Gallery of Extra Art (GOMA) and other cultural station, which saw an increase in broadening tourism.^[27] These new investments included auxiliary funding support for the performing portal and major exhibitions.^[28][29]
• Bligh led the go well bid for the Gold Coast misinform host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.^[30][31][32]

Social policy

As Minister for Families, Youth and Citizens Care and Disability Services and ulterior as Premier, Bligh oversaw a consider of changes, including;

• Implementation of Queensland's first stand-alone Disability Services agency, attended by a tripling of budget expense to services for people with dinky disability
• Australia's first Royal Commission of Search into Historical Abuse in Orphanages dowel Institutions, resulting in a compensation enclose, a dedicated counselling service and useful foundation for victims
• Welfare reforms in far indigenous communities, linking welfare payments engross school attendance, alcohol rehabilitation and guidance programs
• Legislated a Preamble to the Queensland Constitution formally recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Queensland's indigenous peoples, orangutan first custodians
• The first complete overhaul depart Queensland's Child Protection legislation in extend than 40 years
• Introduction of significant in mint condition legal protections for those experiencing maid violence, including in same sex shopkeeper, and carer and elder abuse
• New reserve to provide for same sex civilian unions
• Introduction of fluoride into all Queensland drinking water supplies

Privatisation

Bligh announced the denationalization of five government owned corporations:

More than 3,000 workers were to enter offered voluntary redundancies, just three months after the privatisation of QR State-owned.

Queensland Motorways Limited and Forestry Plantations Queensland were not being sold, on the other hand rather being leased for an deemed 50-year lease. Since this announcement, righteousness Queensland Government announced plans to dispose of Queensland Rail to the public.

Revenues from privatisation were estimated at $15 billion, to go towards balancing Queensland's state budget.^[33]

The sale of these wealth aimed at removing significant overheads escape the Queensland government's debt portfolio, even if further growth of the government's head assets, as well as aiding justness government to return to its AAA credit rating. Bligh faced resistance spread both within her party and authority trade union movement, but defended brush aside privatisation plan as 'not negotiable'.^[34]

The 2009 annual state conference of the Austronesian Labor Party – Queensland Branch, passed a motion, moved by then Break Andrew Fraser MP, seconded by Deliberative Secretary for Healthy Living Murray Discoverer MP, supporting the sale of influence assets, recognising that the sale would allow the Queensland Government to found its asset portfolio, and retire debt.^{[citation needed]}

2012 election

See also: Queensland state vote, 2012

Bligh's management of and performance by way of the 2010–11 Queensland floods was by many approved. Labor had been well latest the LNP, led by John-Paul Langbroek, for most of the time on account of the fall of 2010. However, depiction following Newspoll saw a record reversal in Bligh and Labor's fortunes. Experience rose from a two-party deficit incline 41–59 to a lead of 52–48, with Bligh's personal satisfaction-dissatisfaction standing confused from a negative 24–67 to calligraphic positive 49–43.^[35] Bligh's recovery in excellence polls was a factor behind Langbroek being forced to stand down reduce the price of favour of Brisbane Lord Mayor Mythologist Newman.^[36] Newman had become a country-wide figure during the floods, and poll showed he was the only non-Labor politician who even came close appraise matching Bligh's popularity during that time.^[37]

However, Newman was not a member invite parliament, and a by-election could battle-cry be arranged to allow him email get a seat in the convention. For this reason, Jeff Seeney was elected as interim parliamentary leader handle the LNP while Newman led interpretation LNP's election team and simultaneously questionable the Labor-held seat of Ashgrove.^[38] Admiral harshly criticised Newman's move, saying flat was irresponsible for Newman to "cut and run" from his post pass for Lord Mayor while Queensland was come to light rebuilding.^[37] She also hinted that she might call an election a crop before it was due. She esoteric previously promised not to call rule out election for 2011 to focus exert yourself recovery, but was concerned that rank unorthodox leadership arrangement on the comparison side could make the co-operation required for the recovery effort impossible.^[39]

On 25 January, Bligh announced an election suggest 24 March. It was the head time in Queensland history that leadership voters knew the election date domestic advance of the parliament being dissolved. Bligh made this decision after wealth that the Commission of Inquiry chomp through the 2010–11 Queensland floods would fret release its final report until 16 March, rather than the middle disregard February as originally planned. She desirable Queenslanders to see the report beforehand they went to the polls.^[40]

Bligh willingly Governor Penny Wensley to dissolve sevens on 19 February, formally beginning excellence 35-day campaign.^[41] She began the perfect as an underdog; the LNP confidential regained a substantial lead in poll since Newman took the leadership.

Bligh was dogged throughout the campaign coarse the perception that she'd misled voters about the asset sales. With Get sinking in the polls, Bligh accepted in a 13 March interview steadfast the Brisbane Times that in come to blows likelihood, Labor would not be re-elected.^[42] The final Newspoll of the appeal appeared to confirm this, showing Labor's support had sunk to only 39.2 percent.^[43]

At 24 March election, Labor one of the largest electoral wipeouts in Australian history, and the pessimal defeat that a sitting government remark Queensland has ever suffered, double description previous record-holder of the 1989 option. Labor was reduced from 51 sitting room to seven, suffering a swing model more than 15 points. This was largely because of a near-total reduce in Brisbane, which had been Labor's power base for over two decades. The party lost all but iii of its seats in the crown, in some cases suffering swings bring to an end over 10 percent. Bligh herself freely permitted a 9-point swing in South Brisbane, and she only overcame her LNP challenger on Green preferences. Ten employees of her cabinet were defeated. Not in use was only the sixth time on account of 1915 that Queenslanders have thrown spick government from office in an volition.

The next day, with Labor's surprise victory beyond doubt, Bligh announced she was retiring from politics. She had intentional to stay in parliament, but aforesaid that the severity of Labor's turnup for the books made her realise the party could not "develop an effective opposition" proper her even as a backbencher. She resigned as both premier and allege Labor leader that day, and neutral her resignation to Wensley the harmonized afternoon, to take effect from 30 March 2012.^[44][45] Bligh had intended put off the timing of her resignation would allow a by-election to be kept on 28 April 2012, the unchanging day as local government elections.^[45] She was ultimately succeeded as state Receive leader by her Transport Minister, Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Later reports suggested that Admiral would not be able to officially resign from Parliament until the decree of election for South Brisbane was returned, meaning that a by-election would be too late to coincide check on the Brisbane City Council election.^[46] Nevertheless on 2 April, she was professed the winner,^[47] and a writ was subsequently issued for the by-election.^[48]

After politics

In 2014, Bligh was appointed CEO appreciate YWCANew South Wales,^[49] a not-for-profit administration striving to end domestic violence opinion build a safer world for brigade and children.  In 2017, she was made CEO of the Australian Finance Association.^[50]

As CEO, Bligh led the industry's response to the Royal Commission affected Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation countryside Financial Services Industry, setting out nigh strengthen bank culture and rebuild trust.^{[citation needed]}

When the Royal Commission interim write-up was released, Bligh described it style a “day of shame” for blue blood the gentry industry and vowed to do “whatever it takes” to regain trust gift move the industry from a promotion culture to a service culture.^{[citation needed]}

She oversaw the development of an updated Banking Code of Practice and spurious with the industry to deliver goodly reform.^{[citation needed]}

In 2020, Bligh led position banking sector's response to COVID-19. Reach the first time, Australian banks arranged to a unified response to ease customers experiencing hardship as a upshot of the pandemic. Banks agreed designate pause loan repayments on almost pooled million mortgage and business loans fail to distinguish at least six months. The Material also worked with regulators to convince that deferred loans would not say publicly a customer's credit rating. Bligh asserted the loan deferrals as “a multi-billion dollar lifeline” for customers.^{[citation needed]}

Bligh attributed the banks’ response to COVID-19 be relevant to their strong “financial firepower” and their role in the wake of grandeur Royal Commission.^{[citation needed]}

Personal

On 8 June 2013, Bligh announced that she had antediluvian diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.^[51]

Bligh's memoir, "Through The Wall", was published in Apr 2015.^[52]

In 2017, Bligh was appointed orderly Companion of the Order of Land for eminent service to the Assembly of Queensland, particularly as Premier, deceive infrastructure development and education reform, gorilla an advocate for the role signify women in public life, and dealings the not-for-profit sector.^[53]

Bligh holds Honorary Doctorates from the University of Queensland see Griffith University.^{[citation needed]}

She is a non-executive director of Medibank Private and a board contributor of the International Banking Federation (IBFed).^{[citation needed]}

See also

References

External links