Julie Collins

Australian politician (born 1971)

The Honourable
Julie Collins
Collins in 2012
Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byMichael Sukkar
In office
1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterKevin Rudd
Preceded byMark Butler
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister for Small Business
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 June 2022
Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese
Preceded byStuart Robert
Minister for Community Services
In office
14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Kevin Rudd
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister for the Status of Women
In office
14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Kevin Rudd
Preceded byKate Ellis
Succeeded byTony Abbott
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Franklin
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 November 2007
Preceded byHarry Quick
Personal details
Born
Julie Maree Collins

(1971-07-03) 3 July 1971 (age 52)
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Political partyLabor
OccupationPolitician
Websitewww.juliecollins.com

Julie Maree Collins (born 3 July 1971) is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has represented the Tasmanian seat of Franklin since the 2007 federal election. She held ministerial positions in the Gillard and Rudd governments, and is Minister for Housing and Homelessness and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry.

Early life

Collins was born in Hobart on 3 July 1971.[1] Her father died when she was five months old, leaving her mother, Anne Peters, widowed at the age of 19. She spent her early years in her grandparents' housing commission property. Her mother subsequently remarried and she was adopted by her step-father Andrew Collins.[2]

Collins attended Cosgrove High School but discontinued her studies at 15 before finishing high school and began a full time role at the local supermarket she worked at since she was 14.[3] She did this as she became aware that she could not financially afford the costs of college.[3] Shortly after the 1987 federal election she began working for the ALP as an administrative assistant.[2] She holds a certificate IV in business administration.[1]

Politics

Prior to entering parliament herself, Collins worked in various administrative positions for Tasmanian Labor MPs and state government departments. She worked for the state health department (1990–1993), state opposition leader Michael Field (1993–1994), Senator John Coates (1995–1996), Senator Sue Mackay (1996–1998), Hydro Tasmania (1998), state premier Jim Bacon (1998–2003), the state Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (2003–2005), and Senator Carol Brown (2005–2006).[1]

Collins was state president of Young Labor in 1996 and a delegate to state and national conference. She served as state secretary of the ALP from 2006 to 2007.[1]

Collins is a member of Labor Left.[4]

Rudd and Gillard governments (2007–2013)

Collins was was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2007 federal election retaining the Division of Franklin for the ALP following the retirement of Harry Quick.[1] Quick had been expelled from the ALP months prior after failing to pay his membership fees, and appearing with Liberal party representatives Vanessa Goodwin the candidate for Franklin and minister Joe Hockey when the preselected ALP candidate for Franklin was Tasmanian union official Kevin Harkins who Quick opposed.[5][6] Harkins resigned as candidate after more controversy and Collins was preselected as the candidate by the ALP's national executive.[7][8] Collins had previously unsuccessfully stood for the seat of Denison in the 2006 state election.[9]

She successfully held her seat in the 2010 federal election and was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services on 14 September 2010 in the First Gillard ministry.[1] In 2011, Collins became Minister for Community Services, Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, and Minister for the Status of Women in the Second Gillard ministry.[1] In 2013, Collins gained additional responsibilities as the Minister for Housing and Homelessness and was promoted to the cabinet in the Second Rudd ministry.[10] She remained in these positions until the defeat of the Rudd government in September 2013.

Opposition (2013–2022)

Collins held her seat in the 2013, 2016 and 2019 federal elections.[1] She served in the shadow cabinet in roles including Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health, Shadow Minister for Women and Shadow Minister for Agriculture.[1]

Albanese government (2022–present)

Following the 2022 federal election, Collins was appointed Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry.[1] Collins introduced the Housing Australia Future Fund bill into parliament.[11]

Personal life

Collins has three children with her husband Ian Hubbard.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Hon Julie Collins MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Maiden speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b Clun, Rachel (19 September 2023). "From poverty to the cabinet table: Housing is personal for Julie Collins". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Labor's new-look shadow ministry". SBS News. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Quick will retire with head held high". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Rebel MP Harry Quick thrown out of ALP". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 August 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Tasmanian Labor candidate Harkins quits". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Labor picks State Secretary as new Franklin candidate". ABC News. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  9. ^ Green, Antony (27 February 2024). "Franklin". ABC Election Guide. Australia: ABC News.
  10. ^ "Second Rudd Ministry" (PDF). Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Commonwealth of Australia. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023". Parliament of Australia Website. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  12. ^ "About". Julie Collins MP. Retrieved 30 May 2021.

External links

  • Official website
  • Search or browse Hansard for Julie Collins at OpenAustralia.org
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Franklin
2007–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Position created
 Minister for Community Services
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by
Kate Ellis
 Minister for the Status of Women
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Michaelia Cash
as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women
Preceded by Minister for Housing and Homelessness
2013 		Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by Minister for Housing
2022–present 		Incumbent
Minister for Homelessness
2022–present
Preceded by Minister for Small Business
2022–present
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The Honourable Kevin Rudd MP, 26th Prime Minister of Australia, 2007–2010, 2013
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