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Gillard government

The Gillard government was the Government of Australia led by the 27th prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, of the Australian Labor Party. The Gillard government succeeded the first Rudd government by way of the Labor Party leadership spill, and began on 24 June 2010, with Gillard sworn in as prime minister by the governor-general of Australia, Quentin Bryce. The Gillard government ended when Kevin Rudd won back the leadership of the Australian Labor Party on 26 June 2013 and commenced the second Rudd government.

Not to be confused with First Gillard ministry or Second Gillard ministry.

Gillard government

Before mounting her successful 2010 challenge to Rudd's leadership, Gillard had served as Deputy Prime Minister in the first Rudd government. With Treasurer Wayne Swan as her Deputy, Gillard went on to lead her party to the 2010 Australian federal election against the Liberal-National Coalition led by Tony Abbott. The election resulted in a hung Parliament in which Gillard secured the support of the Australian Greens and three independents to form a government. Leadership challenges occurred intermittently between Gillard and Rudd resulting in Labor leadership spills in February 2012, March 2013 and June 2013, the last of which ended her prime ministership.


Major policy initiatives of the Gillard government included, the Clean Energy Bill 2011, asylum seeker policy, Mineral Resource Rent Tax, National Broadband Network, schools funding following the Gonski Review and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.


Management of the Labor Party's alliances with the Greens and Independents were an ongoing issue following the 2010 election. In late 2011, the government secured the defection of a Liberal member Peter Slipper to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Slipper resigned as speaker in October. In early 2012 the government lost the support of independent Andrew Wilkie. In May 2012 it suspended backbencher Craig Thomson from the ALP as evidence mounted that he had defrauded the Health Services Union. The Greens ended their formal alliance with Labor in February 2013 over taxation policy, but continued to offer confidence and supply.[1]

Cabinet[edit]

Following Gillard's selection as Labor leader in June 2010, the first Gillard Ministry did not differ markedly from that of the predecessor Rudd government, although former Prime Minister Rudd became a back bencher and Treasurer Swan became deputy prime minister. Gillard promised to restore Rudd to the ministry if Labor was to win the next election. Gillard allocated her former responsibilities of Education, Workplace Relations and Social Inclusion to veteran minister Simon Crean. Stephen Smith remained as foreign minister, but also assumed Crean's Trade portfolio.[297]


Following Labor's return at the 2010 Election, the second Gillard Ministry saw Rudd return to Cabinet as Australia's Foreign Minister. The announcement of the ministry was delayed due to negotiations over minority government support from the cross benches. Bill Shorten was promoted to the position of Assistant Treasurer, and David Feeney and Don Farrell became parliamentary secretaries. Gillard reinstated Warren Snowdon as Minister for Indigenous Health, after she previously abolished the position, while a number of ministerial positions were retitled.[298]


In a reshuffle in December 2011 Tanya Plibersek became the Minister of Health, while Nicola Roxon became promoted to Attorney-General.[299]


Kevin Rudd, Mark Arbib, and Robert McClelland resigned from the ministry due to a leadership challenge against Gillard, in which Rudd lost. They were replaced by Bob Carr, Nicola Roxon, Tony Burke, and Brendan O'Connor.


On 4 February 2013 Nicola Roxon and Chris Evans resigned. On 25 March 2013 Simon Crean was sacked as a minister due to Australian Labor Party leadership spill, March 2013. Chris Bowen and Martin Ferguson resigned their positions.[300]

(2012). Tales From The Political Trenches. Australia: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 9780522862218.

Maxine McKew

(2012). Politics With Purpose: Occasional Observations on Public and Private Life. Australia: Scribe Publications. ISBN 9781922070043.

Lindsay Tanner

(2013). The Misogyny Factor. Sydney, NSW, Australia: NewSouth Publishing. ISBN 9781742233840.

Anne Summers

(2014); Triumph & Demise: The Broken Promise of a Labor Generation; Melbourne University Publishing; ISBN 9780522862102

Kelly, Paul

(2014); The Good Fight: Six years, two prime ministers and staring down the Great Recession; Allen & Unwin; ISBN 9781743319352

Swan, Wayne