| Anna Bligh |
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| CATEGORIES ABOUT ANNA BLIGH | |
| 1960 births | |
| bligh, anna | |
| living people | |
| australian labor party politicians | |
| queensland parliamentarians | |
| members of the queensland legislative assembly | |
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Anna Maria Bligh (born 1960 ) is the Deputy Premier of Queensland , Treasurer and Minister for State Development, Trade and Innovation. She is also deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party in Queensland and is generally regarded to be Premier Peter Beattie ’s likely successor, which would make her Queensland’s first female Premier. Anna Bligh was first elected to the Queensland Parliament on 15 July 1995 as the Member ( MP ) for South Brisbane , where she and her family have lived for over 20 years. Following the election of the Beattie Labor Government in June 1998 , Bligh was appointed the Minister for Families, Youth and Community Care and Disability Services. In 2001 , Bligh became Queensland’s first female Education Minister. She assumed additional responsibility for the Arts portfolio in 2004 . In July 2005 , the retirement of Deputy Premier and Treasurer Terry Mackenroth and resignation of Speaker Ray Hollis forced a cabinet reshuffle, which saw Bligh promoted to the office of Deputy Premier and Minister for Finance, State Development, Trade and Innovation. Bligh’s appointment as Deputy Premier coincided with her election to parliament ten years earlier. In early February 2006 , Bligh also gained the Treasury portfolio after Beattie relinquished the responsibility in order to focus on fixing the state's troubled health system. Bligh graduated with a BA in Social Sciences from the University Of Queensland in 1980 . Prior to her election, Bligh worked in many community organisations including childcare services, neighbourhood centres, women's refuges and trade unions as well as in the public service as a Senior Policy Officer for the state Department of Employment, Vocational Education, Training and Industrial Relations (DEVETIR). Bligh is married to Greg Withers, a senior public servant, with whom she has two sons. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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