| The Honourable Julia Gillard MP |
|
|---|---|
| 27th Prime Minister of Australia Elections: 2010 |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 24 June 2010 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Deputy | Wayne Swan |
| Preceded by | Kevin Rudd |
| Leader of the Labor Party | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 24 June 2010 |
|
| Deputy | Wayne Swan |
| Preceded by | Kevin Rudd |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 September 1961 Barry, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Domestic partner | Tim Mathieson (2006-present) |
| Residence | The Lodge[1] |
| Signature | |
| Website | Prime Minister's website Parliamentary website ALP website |
The Gillard Government refers to the federal executive government led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The Gillard government commenced at 1 PM on June 24, 2010 when she was sworn in by Governor-General Quentin Bryce. This came after her successful challenge against Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd. Julia Gillard is the first female Prime Minister of Australia.
The Gillard government has introduced plain cigarette packaging laws, put in place a flood levy which will pay for the disaster caused by the 2010-2011 Queensland Floods tragedy, and introduced the Clean Energy Bill. Gillard reached an historic agreement for health care reform with state and territory leaders, and introduced a Mineral Resource Rent Tax to fund various areas including a superannuation increase and cuts to the company tax rate. Agreements have been reached with Telstra and rollouts have commenced in regard to the National Broadband Network.
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On 23 June 2010, Kevin Rudd called a press conference announcing that a leadership ballot of the Australian Labor Party would occur on the morning of 24 June 2010, with the candidates being himself and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.[2] This followed weeks of speculation that senior members of the ALP were beginning to lose confidence in Rudd and would back Gillard in replacing him if necessary. By the eve of the election, it was obvious that Rudd didn't have enough support to remain ALP leader and Prime Minister. Rudd withdrew his candidacy and resigned as party leader, leaving Gillard to take the leadership unopposed. Gillard was then sworn in as Australia's first female Prime Minister on 24 June 2010, with Treasurer Wayne Swan being appointed Deputy Prime Minister.[3]
In her first press conference as Prime Minister, Gillard said a good government had lost its way and she had a responsibility to step up and make sure it got back on track.[4]
In the aftermath of the leadership challenge, Bill Shorten, former trade union leader, and key Parliamentary member of the ALP Right Faction, nominated the government's handling of the insulation program; the sudden announcement of change of policy on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme; and the way in which they had "introduced the debate" about the Resource Super Profits Tax as the key considerations which had led to a shift in support from Kevin Rudd to Julia Gillard as leader of the party.[5]
On 17 July 2010, 23 days after becoming prime minister and after receiving the agreement of the Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Gillard announced the next federal election for 21 August 2010.[6] Gillard began campaigning with a speech utilising the slogan "moving forward".[7] In the early stages of the campaign, a series of leaks were released by purported Labor Party sources, indicating apparent divisions within Cabinet over the replacement of Kevin Rudd by Gillard.[8] Mid-way through the campaign, Gillard offered journalists a self-assessment of her campaign by saying that she had been paying too much attention to advisers in her strategy team, and she wanted to run a less "stage-managed" campaign, saying: "I think it's time for me to make sure that the real Julia is well and truly on display, so I'm going to step up and take personal charge of what we do in the campaign from this point":[9]
Gillard met Opposition leader Tony Abbott for one official debate during the campaign. Studio audience surveys by Channel 9 and the Seven Network suggested a win to Gillard.[10] Unable to agree on further debates, the leaders went on to appear separately on stage for questioning at community forums in Sydney and Brisbane. An audience exit poll of the Rooty Hill RSL audience indicated an Abbott victory.[11] Gillard won the audience poll at the Broncos Leagues Club meeting in Brisbane on 18 August.[12] Gillard also appeared on the ABC's Q&A program on 9 August.[13] On 7 August, Gillard was questioned by former Labor leader turned Channel Nine reporter Mark Latham.[14]
Gillard officially "launched" Labor's campaign in Brisbane five days before polling day, outlining Labor policies and utilising the slogan: "Yes we will move forward together".[15]
Labor and the Coalition each won 72 seats[nb 1] in the 150-seat House of Representatives,[16] four short of the requirement for majority government, resulting in the first hung parliament since the 1940 election.[17][18] Both major party leaders sought to form a minority government.[19][20][21][22][23][24]
Six crossbench MPs held the balance of power.[25][26] Four crossbench MPs, Greens Adam Bandt and independents Andrew Wilkie, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor declared their support for Labor on confidence and supply,[27][28] allowing Gillard and Labor to remain in power with a 76-74 minority government.[29] Governor-General Bryce swore in the Second Gillard Ministry on 14 September 2010.[30]
The Gillard Government has made extensive use of the internet and social media in its bid to spread the message of government activity, and to make more people aware of what the federal government is doing. The official website of the Prime Minister, www.pm.gov.au, frequently update content such as photographs, videos, blog entries, and other information. In 2011 the Office of the Prime Minister launched an official YouTube channel, not politically associated with the Australian Labor Party’s channel. In a further effort to expand the Prime Minister’s public relations, the government has also launched and frequently updated accounts with a multitude of social networking websites, such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. An official Flickr profile is also maintained.
In her 2010 election campaign, Gillard pledged to build a "national consensus" for a carbon price by creating a "citizens assembly", to examine "the evidence on climate change, the case for action and the possible consequences of introducing a market-based approach to limiting and reducing carbon emissions", over the course of one year. The assembly was to be selected by an independent authority who would select people from the electoral roll using census data.[31] The plan was never implemented. After the 2010 Election, Gillard agreed to form a minority government with the Greens and replaced her "citizens assembly" plan with a climate change panel.[32] The Cleaner Car rebate, also known as the Cash for Clunkers scheme, was also introduced after the general elections. Although after the Queensland floods, the $429 million scheme was scrapped, in order to divert money to help rebuild Queensland.[33]
Both the incumbent Howard Coalition government and the Rudd Labor opposition promised to implement an emissions trading scheme (ETS) before the 2007 federal election. Labor won the election, with the new government proceeding to implement an ETS. The government introduced the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which the Liberals supported with Malcolm Turnbull as leader. Tony Abbott questioned an ETS, saying the best way to reduce emissions is with a "simple tax".[34] Shortly before the carbon vote, Abbott defeated Turnbull in a leadership challenge, and from there on the Liberals opposed the ETS. This left the government unable to secure passage of the bill and it was subsequently withdrawn.
Gillard defeated Rudd in a leadership challenge and from there on said no carbon tax would be introduced under a government she led when taking the government to the 2010 election. In the first hung parliament result in 70 years, the government required the support of crossbenchers including the Greens. One requirement for Green support was a carbon tax, which Gillard proceeded with in forming a minority government. A fixed-price carbon tax would proceed to a floating-price ETS within a few years under the plans. The government proposed the Clean Energy Bill in February 2011,[35] which the opposition claimed to be a broken election promise.[36] The Liberal Party vowed to overturn the bill if it is elected.[37]
The legislation was approved by the Lower House in October 2011[38] and by the Upper House in November 2011.[39]
A $274 million government package ending the logging of native forests was agreed on with the Tasmanian Government, which has full backing of industry, but criticised by the Greens.[40]
Continuing Rudd's promise in 2007, the construction of the National Broadband Network is ongoing. In November 2010, the first major implementation of the construction was when senators, voted 30 to 28, to separate the retail and commercial arms of former state monopoly Telstra, to increase competition as its infrastructure is incorporated in the new network.[41] In February 2011, the NBN rollout came closer with a commercial agreement, which paved the way for the NBN Co to use Telstra's assets and for Telstra to phase out its copper network.[42]
The network has been tested in several locations in Tasmania and in May 2011, the network was launched on the mainland in Armidale, New South Wales, the first of five sites on the mainland.[43] Initial take up of the service has been tiny[44]
The Gillard Government is continuing the national transition from analog to digital television, which was launched in 2008 by Minister Stephen Conroy. The incumbent government continues to run the "Get Ready for Digital TV" campaign, which encourages Australians to buy either a Set-top box or a digital television. The transition is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.[45]
After becoming Prime Minister, Gillard halted advertisement that attacked the big miners for their super profits, which began when Rudd introduced the Mineral Resource Rent Tax. Gillard revised the tax and it was negotiated between the miners, which would collected $7.4 billion over two years instead of Rudd's original mining tax, which would have collected $12 billion.[46]
After the devastating flood that caused widespread damage to Queensland, Gillard proposed a temporary levy that would raise $1.8 billion and take effect from 1 July 2011.[47] The levy would help pay for the reconstruction of roads, rail and bridges in areas damaged by the recent floods. With a minority government, she needed four of the six lower house crossbenchers and all of the crossbench senators, with lower house members, Tony Crook,[48] Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie and Adam Bandt, supporting the levy.[49] In the Senate, all the cross benchers (Green senators, Steve Fielding and Nick Xenophon) supported the flood levy and passed.[50] In a February Newspoll, it showed that 55 per cent supported the new flood levy.[51]
Education has been a priority on Gillard's agenda, with her launching the My School website while she was Education minister. The revamped version was later launched in March 2011.[52]
In 2010, a hospital funding scheme was drawn up by the Rudd Government, where all states and territories, except Western Australia, under Liberal control, agreed to give up control of a third of their GST. In November 2010, the new Liberal Government in Victoria joined Western Australia in rejecting the deal and Gillard said the old reforms would not work.[53] Gillard revamped the health reform package, by providing the states with $16.4 billion from July 2014 to 2020.[54] It scrapped a major element of the previous package which would reduce 60 per cent of the states recurrent health costs to 50 per cent and removed the former Rudd Government plans to fund 60 per cent of new hospital capital costs.[55] The deal was agreed on by all state premiers and chief ministers in February 2011.[56]
Plain cigarette packaging laws, introduced by Health Minister Nicola Roxon, which would ban the use of company logos, and require all cigarette packets to be a dark green colour, has been introduced into parliament. The Coalition will support the legislation, but plans to vote against the associated changes to trademark laws.[57]
The scheme was passed under the Rudd Government in June 2010 and came into effect under Gillard on 1 January 2011, which paid $570 a week. According to figures released by Families Minister Jenny Macklin, 15,450 (as of 30 January 2011) have applied. There were claims when GIllard was the Deputy Prime Minister, she questioned and opposed the scheme, which she denied.[58]
After winning leadership of the Labor Party, Gillard identified addressing the issue of unauthorised arrivals of asylum seekers as a priority of her government. She announced that negotiations were underway for a return to "offshore processing" of asylum seeker claims. Gillard ruled out a return to processing at Nauru and named East Timor as a preferred location for new detention and processing facilities.[59][60] The East Timorese Government rejected the plan.[61]
In October 2010, her government announced that it would open two detention centres for 2000 immigrants, due to the pressures in allowing women and children to be released into the community. One to be opened in Inverbrackie, South Australia and one in Northam, Western Australia.[62] She said it would be a short-term solution to the problem and that temporary detention centres will be closed.
On 15 December 2010 a ship containing 89 asylum seekers crashed on the shore of Christmas Island, killing up to fifty people. [63][64] Refugee and migrant advocates condemned government policy as responsible for the tragedy,[65] [66] and ALP Party President Anna Bligh called for a complete review of ALP asylum seeker policy.[67] Gillard returned early from holidays in response to the crash, and to review asylum seeker policy.[67] There were accusations by David Marr and Tony Kevin of conspiracy surrounding the incident, suggesting that the Gillard government ignored the boat, and conducted no actions to stop it crashing so the Gillard Government could implement the Malaysia Solution.[68] Some months later Gillard would announce "The Malaysia Solution" in response.[69]
In April 2011 the Federal Government confirmed that a detention centre for single men will be built at the old army barracks at Pontville, 45 minutes north of Hobart. This immigration detention centre will house up to 400 refugees.[70] Also in April 2011 immigration detainees at the Villawood detention centre rioted in protest of their treatment, setting fire to several buildings.[71]
In May 2011 Gillard announced that Australia and Malaysia were finalising an arrangement to exchange asylum seekers. Gillard and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said they were close to signing a bilateral agreement which would result in 800 asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat being taken to Malaysia instead. Australia will take 4,000 people from Malaysia who have previously been assessed as being refugees.[72][73]
On 31 August the High Court ruled that the agreement to transfer refugees from Australia to Malaysia was invalid, and ordered that it not proceed. Australia will still accept 4,000 people who have been assessed as refugees in Malaysia.[74][75] In an extraordinary attack on the judiciary, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard has turned on the High Court, questioning the consistency of Chief Justice Robert French as she grapples with the political humiliation of its rejection of her asylum-seeker Malaysia Solution. she accused the court of missing an opportunity to "send a message" to asylum-seekers, sparking opposition charges she has breached the doctrine of the separation of powers. [76] The High Court's decision questions whether the Gillard Government's policy on asylum seekers is lawful, and whether onshore processing should be the option, phasing out controversial offshore processing.[77]
In response to the High Court's decision, Gillard announced that her government would be making changes to the Migration Act, giving them the power to send asylum seekers to any third-world country, including Malaysia. The plan has been strongly condemned by refugee advocates, including the Greens. Tony Abbott said that the changes that will get around the High Courts decision are doomed in the Senate, even if they get through the lower house. On 13 October, the changes failed to get through the lower house, with WA politician Tony Crook, who's vote was vital to get it through, voted against it. Gillard, along with Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen announced that they will resort to onshore processing, and will allow asylum seekers serving community detention while waiting for a visa the right to work.
When Gillard was sworn in as Prime Minister in June, most members of the cabinet remained in their places, as they were sworn in during by Rudd. Slight changes occurred to fill her positions which were left vacant when she became Prime Minister. After the general elections, she swore in her second ministry, with her predecessor becoming Foreign Minister.
| Portfolio | Minister | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Julia Gillard | 2010 | |
| Wayne Swan | 2010 2007 |
|
| Kevin Rudd | 2010 | |
| Chris Evans | 2010 | |
| Simon Crean | 2010 | |
| Stephen Smith | 2010 | |
| Tanya Plibersek | 2011 | |
| Jenny Macklin | 2007 | |
| Anthony Albanese | 2007 | |
| Stephen Conroy | 2007 | |
| Kim Carr | 2007 | |
| Penny Wong | 2010 | |
| Peter Garrett | 2010 | |
| Nicola Roxon | 2011 | |
| Joe Ludwig | 2010 | |
| Tony Burke | 2010 | |
| Martin Ferguson | 2007 | |
| Chris Bowen | 2010 | |
| Craig Emerson | 2010 | |
| Mark Butler | 2011 | |
| Greg Combet | 2010 |
Upon becoming Prime Minister, Gillard reassured the US that Australia would continue to support the Afghanistan war. Although as death tolls amounted, she said that "Australia remains committed to the war in Afghanistan".[78]
Prime Minister Gillard attended the APEC Japan 2010 summit in, where she held her first face-to-face meeting with US President Barack Obama. Obama thanked the Prime Minister for Australia's continuing assistance and contribution to the Afghanistan War. While Gillard sent her condolences to the American people and the President for the American casualties in Afghanistan
Gillard made her first visit to Washington as Prime Minister on 5 March 2011. She held meetings with President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. She also met with Michelle Obama and John McCain.[79] Gillard, addressed a joint session of the United States Congress, the fourth Australian leader to do and first foreign dignitary to address the 112th congress.[80]
In April 2011, she embarked on a North Asia trip, promoting closer military, economic and trade ties. Her visit to Japan was the first by a foreign dignitary after the devastating earthquake and tsunami.[81] South Korea and China were also part of her trip.
Gillard was the first foreign leader to address the New Zealand Parliament.[82]
Since coming to office, Gillard has remained adamant towards her position in the Afghanistan War. The Gillard Government believes that withdrawing troops prematurely from Afghanistan, could re-establish the country as a ‘safe haven’ for terrorists. On 19 October 2010 Prime Minister Gillard addressed Parliament stating her government’s commitment to the war, and said “Australia will stand firm in our commitment to our alliance with the United States, the international community understands this, our friends and allies understand this, and our enemies understand this too”. On her first day as Prime Minister, Gillard reassured her position towards the war to President Barack Obama of the United States.[83]
Prime Minister Gillard made an official visit to Afghanistan, in October 2010. There she met members of the Australian Defence Force in Tarin Kowt, and had discussions with President Hamid Karzai. This visit was part of her first international trip as Prime Minister.[84]
In her first month as Prime Minister, Gillard and her party received a popular bounce in the polls, showing Labor leading the Coalition 10 points, 55 to 45.[85] During the start of the election, polls pointed to a Labor victory. But during the middle of the election, several blunders, including her climate change policy, internal party leaks, contributed towards dives in her popularity. [86]
Since the announcement of carbon price mechanism, Gillard's approval ratings fell, because of lack of detail on how people will be affected by the carbon tax,[87] the 18 March Newspoll saw her government's and approval ratings increase after a tour of the United States and pictures taken in the White House playing football with Barack Obama. Since March 2011 according to Newspoll more people are dissatisfied with Gillard's performance, by September her net dissatisfaction has spread to 45 points. Her status to be the preferred leader since becoming Prime Minister, dropped from a leading high on 18 February 2011 of a 50 to 31 to 40 to 35 in November.
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