Tanya Plibersek

Tanya Joan Plibersek (born 2 December 1969) is an Australian politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 2013 to 2019, and has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sydney since 1998. A member of the Labor Party, Plibersek served as a Cabinet Minister in the Rudd and Gillard Governments.

The Honourable Tanya Plibersek MP
Plibersek in 2013
Shadow Minister for Education and Training
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 July 2016
Leader	Bill Shorten Anthony Albanese
Shadowing	Simon Birmingham Dan Tehan
Preceded by	Anthony Albanese
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 18 October 2013 – 23 July 2016
Leader	Bill Shorten
Shadowing	Julie Bishop
Preceded by	Julie Bishop
Succeeded by	Penny Wong
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
In office 14 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
Leader	Bill Shorten
Preceded by	Anthony Albanese
Succeeded by	Richard Marles
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office 14 October 2013 – 30 May 2019
Leader	Bill Shorten
Preceded by	Anthony Albanese
Succeeded by	Richard Marles
Minister for Health and Medical Research
In office 14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Nicola Roxon
Succeeded by	Peter Dutton
Minister for Human Services
In office 14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Chris Bowen
Succeeded by	Brendan O'Connor
Minister for Social Inclusion
In office 14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Simon Crean
Succeeded by	Mark Butler
Minister for Housing
In office 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Brian Howe (1996)
Succeeded by	Mark Arbib
Minister for the Status of Women
In office 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Julie Bishop
Succeeded by	Kate Ellis
Member of Parliament for Sydney
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 October 1998
Preceded by	Peter Baldwin
Personal details
Born	Tanya Joan Plibersek (1969-12-02) 2 December 1969 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Michael Coutts-Trotter
Children	Anna, Joseph and Louis
Alma mater	University of Technology Sydney Macquarie University
Occupation	Politician
Website	tanyaplibersek.com

Plibersek was born in Sydney to Slovenian immigrant parents. She has degrees from the University of Technology Sydney and Macquarie University, and before entering parliament worked as a staffer for Senator Bruce Childs. Plibersek was elected to the Division of Sydney at the 1998 federal election, aged 28. She was added to the Shadow Cabinet in 2004, and when Labor won the 2007 election was made Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women. In a cabinet reshuffle in 2010, Plibersek was instead made Minister for Human Services and Minister for Social Inclusion. She was promoted to Minister for Health the following year, and held that position until Labor's defeat at the 2013 election. Plibersek was elected deputy leader to Bill Shorten in the election's aftermath. She is a member of the Labor Left faction.

Early life

Plibersek was born in Sydney, the youngest of three children born to Joseph and Rose Plibersek. Her oldest brother Ray is a lawyer, and her other brother Phillip (d. 1997) was a geologist. Her parents were born in small Slovenian villages, arriving in Australia as part of the post-war immigration scheme. Her mother (née Rosalija Repič) was born in Podvinci, and came to Australia via Italy. Her father (né Jože Pliberšek) was born in Kočno pri Polskavi, and came to Australia via Austria and Germany. He found work as a labourer on the Snowy Mountains Scheme, and later worked for Qantas as a plumber and gas fitter.[1][2]

Plibersek grew up in the suburb of Oyster Bay. She attended Oyster Bay Public School and Jannali Girls High School, where she was the dux. She joined the Labor Party at the age of 15.[1] Plibersek studied journalism at the University of Technology Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in communications. She then took a Masters in Public Policy and Politics at Macquarie University.[3][4] After a failed attempt to secure a cadetship with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), she found work with the Domestic Violence Unit at the New South Wales Government's Office for the Status and Advancement of Women.[3] She later worked in the office of Senator Bruce Childs.[5]

Politics

Plibersek in 1998.

Early years

Plibersek was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Sydney in 1998 and has been re-elected seven times.[6] She was nominated to the Shadow Ministry after the 2004 election. She was Shadow Minister for Work, Family and Community, Shadow Minister for Youth and Early Childhood Education and Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on the Status of Women since October 2004. This portfolio was retitled Shadow Minister for Child Care, Youth and Women in June 2005. Following the Shadow Ministerial reshuffle in December 2006 (when Kevin Rudd assumed the leadership of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party) Plibersek was promoted to Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women.

Plibersek writes a fortnightly column for The Sydney Morning Herald and has appeared regularly as a commentator on ABC TV talk show Q&A since 2008.

Rudd and Gillard Governments

In the 2007 federal election, Plibersek was re-elected to the seat of Sydney with a 2.12-point swing toward the Labor Party,[7] and was appointed Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women in the First Rudd Ministry. In the 2010 federal election, Plibersek was re-elected to the seat of Sydney with a 2.25-point swing against the Labor Party.[8] On 11 September 2010, Plibersek was appointed Minister for Human Services and Minister for Social Inclusion, that took effect from the conclusion of her maternity leave.

As Minister for Housing, Plibersek launched the Social Housing Initiative, which provided for the construction of more than 19,300 new social housing units, with approximately 70,000 units receiving repairs and maintenance.[9] In December 2008, along with Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister at that time, Plibersek released the Government's White Paper on Homelessness, The Road Home, which has a goal of halving homelessness by 2020.[10]

As Minister for the Status of Women, Plibersek initiated policies such as convening the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children in May 2008, and releasing the National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children in March 2009.[11][12] Plibersek also addressed the 2009 United Nations International Women's Day event, attended by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and announced Australia's formal accession to the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).[13] Plibersek said that acceding to the Optional Protocol "will send a strong message that Australia is serious about promoting gender equality and that we are prepared to be judged by international human rights standards."[14]

Following the retirement of Nicola Roxon on 14 December 2011, Plibersek was appointed Minister for Health in the Second Gillard Ministry. Her title was changed to Minister for Health and Medical Research in the Second Rudd Ministry, with effect from 1 July 2013.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Plibersek was elected deputy leader of the Labor Party (and thus Deputy Leader of the Opposition) on 14 October 2013, in a caucus vote following the leadership election that had seen Bill Shorten succeed Kevin Rudd as leader.[15] She was Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development until July 2016, when she was instead made Shadow Minister for Education and Shadow Minister for Women.[16]

Following the Labor defeat in the federal election of 2019 and Bill Shorten's immediate resignation as party leader, Plibersek made it known that she was interested in standing in the leadership election, and was supported by Shorten and former prime minister Julia Gillard; however, she concluded that "now is not my time", citing family responsibilities.[17][18][19]

After Anthony Albanese's victory in the leadership contest, Plibersek was appointed Shadow Minister for Education and Training in his new shadow cabinet.[20]

Political positions

Abortion

As Minister for Health, Plibersek approved listing the abortion drug RU-486 on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Plibersek described the provision of the medicine as "a good thing in the situation where women are faced with one of the most difficult decisions that they will ever make".[21] Anti-abortion groups criticised the move, with one campaigner, Margaret Tighe, labelling it a "gross abuse of power."[22] Other commentators, including Clementine Ford, labelled the decision "progressive".[23][24]

LGBT rights

Plibersek campaigned for the removal from federal legislation of discrimination against same-sex de facto couples, formally raising the issue in Parliament on multiple occasions during her parliamentary career (including 1999,[25] 2006,[26] and 2008[27]). In 2010, in her regular paid advertisement in the South Sydney Herald, Plibersek wrote that "The passing of these reforms to federal legislation was one of the proudest moments of my time in the Australian Parliament"[28] and she marched in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in 2008.[29] The Labor Party was criticised by some LGBT groups[30][31] over the party's bipartisan policy against the legalisation of same-sex marriage. In an opinion piece she wrote for The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007 Plibersek acknowledged that, her own views aside, "Labor does not support changing the Marriage Act to allow same-sex marriage".[32] In the article, she argues for some form of nationally consistent recognition of same-sex relationships.[32]

On 25 July 2004, Plibersek was loudly heckled at an anti-homophobia rally due to the issue.[31]

At the Australian Labor Party national conference in 2011, the delegates voted to include same-sex marriage as official party policy, although MPs were allowed a conscience vote.[33] Same-sex marriage was legalised in Australia after a postal vote in 2017.

Iraq War

Plibersek opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[34] It was reported that when US President, George W. Bush, visited the Australian Parliament in 2003, 'Sydney Labor MP Tanya Plibersek walked around the chamber as President Bush shook hands with MPs to give Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice a book of speeches by Labor MPs opposing Australia invading Iraq without UN approval.'[35] She also stated in Parliament, "I do not support an attack on Iraq. I particularly do not support a pre-emptive first strike. Nor do I support any action that is initiated by the US alone rather than being sanctioned by the United Nations."[34]

Israel

Speaking in the House of Representatives on 17 September 2002, Plibersek said: "I can think of a rogue state which consistently ignores UN resolutions, whose ruler is a war criminal responsible for the massacres of civilians in refugee camps outside its borders. The US supports and funds this country. This year it gave it a blank cheque to continue its repression of its enemies. It uses US military hardware to bulldoze homes and kill civilians. It is called Israel, and the war criminal is Ariel Sharon. Needless to say, the US does not mention the UN resolutions that Israel has ignored for 30 years; it just continues sending the money..."[36]

Barry Cohen, a Labor member of parliament and Hawke Government minister, had on several occasions cited Plibersek's remarks as evidence of growing anti-semitism and anti-Israel sentiment in the Labor Party.[37][38]

Plibersek's remarks again gained prominence in October 2013, after she and Bill Shorten were elected as deputy leader and leader of the Labor Party, respectively. After choosing to take on the foreign affairs portfolio while in opposition, Liberal Party MP Julie Bishop, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, said Plibersek should "publicly retract those statements". The Australian noted that Plibersek's appointment was likely to be criticised by the Jewish community in Australia.[39] Plibersek briefly visited Israel and the State of Palestine in February 2014, meeting with the Prime Minister of Palestine, Rami Hamdallah.[40]

List of portfolios

Plibersek, then-Minister for Housing, in 2010

Plibersek has held the following portfolios and parliamentary party positions since her election in 1998 (both shadow and government appointments are listed):[6]

• 26 October 2004 – 10 December 2006: Shadow Minister for Work and Family, Child Care and Youth
• 26 October 2004 – 24 June 2005: Shadow Minister for Women
• 26 October 2004 – 24 June 2005: Shadow Minister for Community
• 10 December 2006 – 3 December 2007: Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women
• 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010: Minister for Housing
• 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010: Minister for the Status of Women
• 14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011: Minister for Human Services
• 14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011: Minister for Social Inclusion
• 14 December 2011 – 1 July 2013: Minister for Health
• 1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013: Minister for Health and Medical Research
• 14 October 2013 – 30 May 2019: Deputy Leader of the Opposition
• 14 October 2013 – 30 May 2019: Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party
• 18 October 2013 – 23 July 2016: Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development
• 23 July 2016 – Incumbent: Shadow Minister for Education
• 23 July 2016 – Incumbent: Shadow Minister for Women

Personal life

Plibersek lives in Sydney with her husband, Michael Coutts-Trotter who is a senior state public servant. He is the Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Justice.[41] They have three children Anna, Joseph and Louis.[42]

Following the 2010 federal election, when Labor retained government with the support of the Australian Greens and independents, parliamentary numbers were finely balanced. Plibersek was granted a pair by the Coalition so that her absence from the House of Representatives while on maternity leave did not affect the result of votes.[43] She gave birth to her son on 1 October 2010.[44][45]

In September 2016, her older brother Ray Plibersek was elected to Sutherland Shire council representing C Ward for the Australian Labor Party.[46]

See also

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

References

1. Anne Summers (17 September 2012). "Cool, calm, elected". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
2. Plibersek, The Hon Tanya, Member for Sydney, NSW, Citizenship Register – 45th Parliament, Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
3. Tony Walker (27 August 2014). "The rise of Tanya Plibersek". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
4. "Tanya Plibersek". Unleashed. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 March 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
5. "About Tanya". Tanya Plibersek. 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
6. "Hon Tanya Plibersek MP". Australian House of Representatives. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
7. "Summary of Sydney". Federal Election 2007. Australian Electoral Commission. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
8. "Summary of Sydney". Federal Election 2010. Australian Electoral Commission. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
9. "Social Housing Initiative". Social Housing. Commonwealth of Australia – Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
10. "The Road Home – The Australian Government White Paper on Homelessness". Housing and Homelessness. Commonwealth of Australia Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. 21 December 2008. Archived from the original on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
11. "Time for Action: The National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, 2009–2021" (PDF). National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. Commonwealth of Australia – Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
12. Plibersek, Tanya (29 April 2009). "Launch of the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children's Time for Action Report" (PDF). National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. Commonwealth of Australia Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
13. "Minister address United Nations on gender equality" (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. 5 March 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
14. "Australia Comes in From The Cold on Women's Rights" (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia Attorney-General. 24 November 2008. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
15. Plibersek elected to be Bill Shorten's deputy, The Guardian, 14 October 2013.
16. Tanya Plibersek to take on education portfolio under Labor ministry changes, ABC News, 23 July 2016.
17. Remeikis, Amy (20 May 2019). "Federal election 2019: Tanya Plibersek will not contest Labor leadership ballot – politics live". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
18. Koziol, Michael; Ireland, Judith (20 May 2019). "'Now is not my time': Tanya Plibersek rules herself out of race for Labor leadership". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
19. Koziol, Michael (22 May 2019). "'It's weird': Bill Shorten stuns colleagues as he lobbies against Anthony Albanese". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
20. "Labor leader Anthony Albanese announces frontbench in wake of federal election 2019". 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
21. "Abortion pill RU486 and three cancer drugs added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 June 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
22. "Controversy as abortion drug RU486 added to PBS". Australiantimes.co.uk. 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
23. Oakes, Sarah (2 July 2013). "10 reasons the RU486 listing is so important". dailylife.com.au. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
24. Ford, Clementine (4 September 2013). "Do you have sex? Do you not want to be pregnant?". dailylife.com.au. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
25. Plibersek, Tanya MP (8 June 1999). "Same Sex Relationships – Adjournment Speech". Australian House of Representatives: Hansard. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
26. Plibersek, Tanya MP (22 May 2006). "Superannuation: Same-Sex Couples – Grievence Debate". Australian House of Representatives: Hansard. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
27. Plibersek, Tanya MP (25 September 2008). "Commonwealth Law Reform: Same-Sex Couples – Constituency Statement". Australian House of Representatives: Hansard. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
28. Plibersek, Tanya MP (March 2010). "Member for Sydney – Column" (PDF). South Sydney Herald. South Sydney Uniting Church. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
29. Socialjusticeinearlychildhood.org
30. "Labor's Same-Sex Registration Policy Entrenches Discrimination". Australian Marriage Equality (National lobby group). 27 April 2007. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
31. "Rally protests same-sex marriage ban". Green Left Weekly. 4 August 2004. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
32. Plibersek, Tanya (21 March 2007). "The discrimination that makes a lie of equality". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
33. ALP platform changes to support gay marriage
34. Plibersek, Tanya (17 September 2002). "Ministerial Statements – Foreign Affairs". Australian House of Representatives: Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
35. Kingston, Margot (23 October 2003). "Charge of the Lightfoot brigade doesn't stop Green protest". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
36. Hansard Tuesday, 17 September 2002, Page 6455 <http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2002-09-17/0075/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf>
37. The Anti-Semitic Labor Party, The Age, 25 October 2004.
38. The Religion Report: 27 October 2004 – Barry Cohen on the ALP and anti-Semitism, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 27 October 2004.
39. Israel attack threatens Tanya Plibersek's choice of foreign affairs portfolio, The Australian, 16 October 2013.
40. Plibersek reflects on Israel trip, The Australian Jewish News, 24 February 2014.
41. "Department of Justice organisation chart" (PDF). New South Wales government. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
42. Nader, Carol (13 August 2010). "Labor faces rising Green tide". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
43. "73-72: government loses first vote in house". The Age. Australia. Australian Associated Press. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
44. Squires, Rosie (9 October 2010). "Nation's Parliament 'controlled' by a baby". Sunday Mail. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
45. Scott, Aimee (12 October 2010). "Sydney MP Tanya Plibersek gives birth to baby Louis". Central Sydney. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
46. Sutherland Shire Council: Councillors and Wards: Cr. Ray Plibersek C Ward: Retrieved 3 November 2017

External links

• Personal website

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Peter Baldwin	Member of Parliament for Sydney 1998–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Brian Howe	Minister for Housing 2007–2010	Succeeded by Mark Arbib
Preceded by Chris Bowen	Minister for Human Services 2010–2011	Succeeded by Brendan O'Connor
Preceded by Nicola Roxon	Minister for Health 2011–2013	Succeeded by Peter Dutton
Preceded by Anthony Albanese	Deputy Leader of the Opposition 2013–present	Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Anthony Albanese	Deputy Leader of the Labor Party 2013–present	Incumbent