42 Facts About Anna Bligh

Anna Bligh was the first woman to hold either position.

Anna Bligh entered the Queensland Legislative Assembly at the 1995 state election, winning the seat of South Brisbane.

Anna Bligh was promoted to the ministry in 1998, under Peter Beattie, and became deputy premier in 2005 and state treasurer in 2006.

Anna Bligh led Labor to victory at the 2009 state election, but at the 2012 election suffered a landslide defeat and announced her retirement from politics.

From 2010 to 2011, Anna Bligh was National President of the Australian Labor Party.

Anna Bligh is a descendant of William Bligh, who is famous for the Mutiny on the Bounty and being the 4th Governor of New South Wales.

Anna Bligh attended Catholic schools until Year 9 and considered becoming a nun.

Anna Bligh then went on to be involved in the Women's Rights Collective which campaigned for legalised abortion against the anti-abortion policies of the Bjelke-Petersen government.

Anna Bligh then ran an election ticket called EAT in an unsuccessful bid to oust the faction in charge, headed by the future Goss government identity David Barbagallo.

Law student Paul Lucas, Anna Bligh's future deputy premier, was a part of Barbagallo's team.

Anna Bligh subsequently worked in a number of community organisations, including child care services, neighbourhood centres, women's refuges and trade unions as well as in the Queensland Public Service.

Anna Bligh was the secretary of the Labor Party's Fairfield branch in 1987.

Anna Bligh was first elected to parliament at the 1995 election to the safe Labor seat of South Brisbane, succeeding Anne Warner.

Anna Bligh assumed additional responsibility for the Arts portfolio in 2004.

In July 2005, the retirement of the Deputy Premier and Treasurer Terry Mackenroth forced a cabinet reshuffle, which saw Anna Bligh promoted to the office of Deputy Premier and Minister for Finance, State Development, Trade and Innovation.

In early February 2006, Anna Bligh gained the Treasury portfolio after Beattie relinquished the responsibility to focus on attempting to fix the state's troubled health system.

Anna Bligh had long been touted as a likely successor to the long-running Premier Peter Beattie, and he publicly endorsed her as his replacement when he announced his retirement from politics on 10 September 2007.

Anna Bligh was nominated unopposed by the Labor caucus in a deal that saw Paul Lucas from the Right faction succeed her as Deputy Premier.

Anna Bligh led Labor to victory in the 2009 state election.

Anna Bligh lost eight seats from the large majority she'd inherited from Beattie, and suffered an eight-percent swing on the two-party vote.

In winning the election, Anna Bligh became Australia's first popularly elected female premier.

However, Anna Bligh is not Australia's first popularly elected female head of government.

In 2009, Anna Bligh was elected to the three person presidential team of the Australian Labor Party, to serve until July 2012.

Anna Bligh led a major reconstruction program, including a legislated Reconstruction Authority administering a $6bn rebuilding budget.

Anna Bligh faced resistance from both within her party and the trade union movement, but defended her privatisation plan as 'not negotiable'.

Anna Bligh hinted that she might call an election a year before it was due.

Anna Bligh had previously promised not to call an election for 2011 to focus on recovery, but was concerned that the unorthodox leadership arrangement on the opposition side could make the co-operation necessary for the recovery effort impossible.

Anna Bligh wanted Queenslanders to see the report before they went to the polls.

Anna Bligh began the race as an underdog; the LNP had regained a substantial lead in polling since Newman took the leadership.

Anna Bligh was dogged throughout the campaign by the perception that she'd misled voters about the asset sales.

Anna Bligh herself suffered a 9-point swing in South Brisbane, and she only overcame her LNP challenger on Green preferences.

The next day, with Labor's defeat beyond doubt, Anna Bligh announced she was retiring from politics.

Anna Bligh had intended to stay in parliament, but said that the severity of Labor's defeat made her realise the party could not "develop an effective opposition" with her even as a backbencher.

Anna Bligh resigned as both premier and state Labor leader that day, and handed her resignation to Wensley the same afternoon, to take effect from 30 March 2012.

Anna Bligh had intended that the timing of her resignation would allow a by-election to be held on 28 April 2012, the same day as local government elections.

Anna Bligh was ultimately succeeded as state Labor leader by her Transport Minister, Annastacia Palaszczuk.

In 2014, Anna Bligh was appointed CEO of YWCA New South Wales.

Anna Bligh oversaw the development of an updated Banking Code of Practice and worked with the industry to deliver significant reform.

In 2020, Anna Bligh led the banking sector's response to COVID-19.

On 8 June 2013, Anna Bligh announced that she had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In 2017 Anna Bligh was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the Parliament of Queensland, particularly as Premier, to infrastructure development and education reform, as an advocate for the role of women in public life, and to the not-for-profit sector.

Anna Bligh holds Honorary Doctorates from the University of Queensland and Griffith University.