| The Honourable Kate Ellis MP |
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|---|---|
| Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare and Minister for the Status of Women (Australia) | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 14 September 2010 |
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| Member of the Australian Parliament for Adelaide |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 9 October 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Trish Worth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 September 1977 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Website | http://kateellis.com.au |
Katherine Margaret "Kate" Ellis, MP (born 22 September 1977) is an Australian politician, representing the federal division of Adelaide since 2004 and is currently the Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare and the Minister for the Status of Women in the Gillard Government.
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Ellis was born in Melbourne and grew up in rural South Australia in the Murray River town of Mannum[1] where her family owned the local bakery[1] and her mother worked as a teacher in the local primary school.[1] Ellis moved to Adelaide for her secondary school education, attending Daws Road High School.[2] She began studying international relations at Flinders University where she was General Secretary of the Students Association and an editor of Empire Times, although she did not finish a degree. A member of the Australian Labor Party, she worked as a research officer for state and federal parliamentarians. She was a ministerial adviser to South Australian state minister Rory McEwen and then for the former Deputy Premier of South Australia, Kevin Foley.
Ellis was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Adelaide, South Australia at the 2004 federal election. She defeated Liberal Party incumbent Trish Worth. At the 2007 federal election, Ellis retained her seat with a 48.6% primary vote, and a 58.4% two-party preferred vote.
After the election Kevin Rudd appointed Ellis Minister for Youth and Minister for Sport. This made her the youngest person ever to become an Australian government minister, a record until then held by former Prime Minister Paul Keating.[3] On 6 June 2009, in a ministerial reshuffle due to the resignation of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and the retirement of Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus, Ellis became Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth. She remained as Minister for Sport.
In April 2010, John O'Neill, the CEO of the Australian Rugby Union, claimed that shortly after the election the government had privately promised funding for a number of rugby projects, but two years later the union was still waiting for financial help while millions had been spent on a bid to host the FIFA World Cup.[4] Ellis responded by saying that "since coming to office we have delivered about $2.04m to the ARU, including $507,000 for the Pacific Nations Cup". Other rugby officials claimed that the grant mentioned was actually compensation for the $650,000 spent on a project backed by Ellis' predecessor, George Brandis, that was cancelled by the new government.[5]
Ellis was re-elected to the seat of Adelaide at the 2010 federal election.[6] Ellis became the Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care and the Minister for the Status of Women in the Gillard Government on 14 September 2010.[7]
Ellis was formerly engaged to union official, Stephen Donnelly, but broke the engagement in 2009.[8] In October 2010 Ellis was romantically linked to Punch editor, David Penberthy who had recently separated from his wife.[9] In January 2011, local newspaper The Advertiser confirmed the existence of a romantic relationship between the two.[10]
Ellis supports the Adelaide Football Club and was named as a club ambassador in 2009.[11][12]
Ellis' public image has been the subject of media attention since her entry into public life. In October 2008, she was voted Parliament's "sexiest" MP in a poll of federal MPs conducted by The Courier-Mail newspaper.[13] In 2009 she declined an offer of $30,000 from Zoo Weekly magazine for her to pose nude.[8][13] In April 2010, she modelled a Karen Millen dress and Gucci high-heels for Grazia magazine.[14] She agreed to do the shoot to raise awareness of poor body image and in order to encourage fashion magazines to promote healthy attitudes toward weight and eating.[15]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Trish Worth |
Member for Adelaide 2004–present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by George Brandis (sport) |
Minister for Youth and Sport 2007–2009 |
Succeeded by Kate Elllis |
| Preceded by Kate Elllis |
Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth 2009–2010 |
Succeeded by Peter Garrett |
| Preceded by Kate Elllis |
Minister for Sport 2009–2010 |
Succeeded by Mark Arbib |
| Preceded by Tanya Plibersek |
Minister for the Status of Women 2010–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Mark Arbib |
Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare 2010–present |
Incumbent |
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