Lara Giddings

Lara Giddings MP
File:Lara-Giddings-Electorate.jpg
44th Premier of Tasmania
In office 24 January 2011 – 31 March 2014
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Peter Underwood
Deputy	Bryan Green
Preceded by	David Bartlett
Succeeded by	Will Hodgman
Deputy Premier of Tasmania
In office 26 May 2008 – 24 January 2011
Premier	David Bartlett
Preceded by	David Bartlett
Succeeded by	Bryan Green
Treasurer of Tasmania
In office 6 December 2010 – 31 March 2014
Premier	David Bartlett
Preceded by	Michael Aird
Succeeded by	Peter Gutwein
Member of the Tasmanian Parliament for Franklin
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 July 2002
Member of the Tasmanian Parliament for Lyons
In office 24 February 1996 – 29 August 1998
Personal details
Born	Larissa Tahireh Giddings (1972-11-14) 14 November 1972 Goroka, Papua New Guinea
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Alma mater	University of Tasmania
Occupation	Politician
Website	laragiddings.com

Larissa Tahireh "Lara" Giddings (born 14 November 1972) is an Australian politician and was the 44th Premier of Tasmania from 24 January 2011 until 31 March 2014, being the first female to hold the position. She has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly seat of Franklin since the 2002 election, and was the party's leader during her period as premier, replaced by Bryan Green after her government's defeat at the 2014 state election.

Early years

Giddings was born on 14 November 1972 in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. As an adolescent, Giddings was educated at Methodist Ladies' College (MLC) in Melbourne as a boarder. At age 18, she joined the Australian Labor Party.

Parliamentary career

Giddings was first elected to parliament in the 1996 election in the electorate of Lyons but was defeated at the 1998 election. Elected at the age of 23 years she was the youngest woman elected to an Australian Parliament..

Giddings obtained Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Tasmania and went on to work in the Australian Senate as Whip's Clerk, then an electorate officer with Senator Sue Mackay. She travelled to Britain, where she did some temporary administrative work in London, and later worked as a Parliamentary research officer for the Member for Dunfermline East, Helen Eadie, in the Scottish Parliament. Until her return to parliament in 2002, she worked for the Tasmanian Premier as a speech writer and media assistant.

ALP politics

Giddings was elected one of the five members for the Tasmanian House of Assembly Division of Franklin in the 2002 Tasmanian election for the Australian Labor Party. From 2004 to 2006, she was Minister for Economic Development and Minister for the Arts in the Labor government under Paul Lennon. Following the 2006 election, she became Minister for Health and Human Services. Shortly after the election, the State Government decided to proceed with building a replacement for the Royal Hobart Hospital and the significant task of planning the replacement came under Giddings' portfolio. In April 2007, she came under criticism for the poor conditions in the Emergency Department and blamed the federal government for under-funding.

On 26 May 2008, Lennon resigned the leadership of the State Labor Party and premiership, and Deputy Premier, David Bartlett was elected party leader and became Premier, while Giddings was elected Deputy Leader and became Deputy Premier, becoming the second woman in Tasmanian history to hold the position.

On 23 January 2011, Bartlett stepped down as Premier of Tasmania, and stated that "Lara Giddings will be an outstanding Premier and will have my full support". On 24 January, the State Parliamentary Labor Party unanimously elected Giddings party leader, also becoming Premier. She was the first female Premier of Tasmania until her government's defeat on 15 March 2014.

Private life

Giddings; has acknowledged that pursuit of her political career has meant that she may never have children.

External links

• Lara Giddings – Parliamentary library profile
• Lara Giddings official website
• Lara Giddings – Labor party profile
• Lara Giddings' inaugural speech to parliament

Tasmanian House of Assembly
Preceded by Ian Braid David Llewellyn Bob Mainwaring Christine Milne Graeme Page Michael Polley Denise Swan	Member for Lyons 1996–1998 Served alongside: Rene Hidding David Llewellyn Michael Polley Denise Swan	Succeeded by Ken Bacon Rene Hidding David Llewellyn Michael Polley Denise Swan
Preceded by Paul Lennon Martin McManus Neville Oliver Matt Smith Paula Wriedt	Member for Franklin 2002–present Served alongside: Ross Butler (2008–2010) Paul Harriss (2014–present) Will Hodgman (2002–present) Daniel Hulme (2009–2010) Paul Lennon (2002–2008) Nick McKim (2002–present) David O'Byrne (2010–2014) Jacquie Petrusma (2010–present) Paula Wriedt (2002–2009)	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by David Llewellyn	Attorney-General Minister for Justice 2008–2011	Succeeded by David Bartlett
Preceded by David Bartlett	Deputy Premier of Tasmania 2008–2011	Succeeded by Bryan Green
Preceded by David O'Byrne	Minister for the Arts 2010–2014	Succeeded by Vanessa Goodwin
Preceded by Michael Aird	Treasurer of Tasmania 2010–2014	Succeeded by Peter Gutwein
Preceded by David Bartlett	Premier of Tasmania 2011–2014	Succeeded by Will Hodgman
Party political offices
Preceded by David Bartlett	Leader of the Labor Party in Tasmania 2011–2014	Succeeded by Bryan Green