Kate Ellis

Kate Margaret Ellis, MP (born 22 September 1977) is an Australian politician, representing the federal division of Adelaide since 2004, and was the Minister for Employment Participation and Early Childhood, Childcare and Youth in the Rudd Government.

Early life and career

Ellis was born in Melbourne and grew up in rural South Australia in the Murray River town of Mannum^[1] where her mother worked as a teacher in the local primary school.^[1] Ellis moved to Adelaide for her secondary 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. 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.

Political career

Ellis was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Adelaide, South Australia at the 2004 federal election, defeating 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.

Ellis was re-elected to the seat of Adelaide at the 2010 federal election.^[4] Ellis became the Minister for Employment Participation and Early Childhood and Childcare and the Minister for the Status of Women in the Gillard Government on 14 September 2010.^[5]

Following a Ministerial reshuffle by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on 1 March 2012, Ellis remained the Minister for Employment Participation and Early Childhood and Childcare. After Kevin Rudd assumed the Prime Ministership on 28 June, she was selected to become the new Minister for Youth until the defeat of the Rudd Government in September 2013.

Personal life

Ellis is married to News Limited journalist David Penberthy, a former editor of Sydney's Daily Telegraph and current editor of Adelaide's Sunday Mail. ^[6] Ellis supports the Adelaide Football Club and was named as a club ambassador in 2009.^[7][8] In 2011, she joined tennis star Lleyton Hewitt as the club's number-one ticket holder, becoming the first woman so honoured.^[9] She is also a Club Ambassador for the SANFL team the Glenelg Tigers.^[10]

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.^[11] In 2009 she declined an offer of $30,000 from Zoo Weekly magazine for her to pose nude.^[11][12] In April 2010, she modelled a Karen Millen dress and Gucci high-heels for Grazia magazine.^[13] 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.^[14]

See also

• First Rudd Ministry
• First Gillard Ministry
• Second Gillard Ministry
• Second Rudd Ministry

References

External links

• Search or browse Hansard for Kate Ellis at OpenAustralia.org
• APH Profile
• Official website

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