Jenny Macklin

Last updated

Jenny Macklin
AC
Jenny Macklin (cropped).jpg
Macklin in 2013
Minister for Disability Reform
In office
14 December 2011 18 September 2013
Macklin with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Tom Calma at the apology for the stolen generations in 2008 MacklinRudd.jpg
Macklin with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Tom Calma at the apology for the stolen generations in 2008

In 2007, Macklin became the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. In this capacity she oversaw the passage and implementation of Australia's first national Paid Parental Leave Scheme, the Closing the Gap framework to address the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, a historic rise in the pensions and a number of other significant changes to social policy and family support payments.

In 2011, Macklin was given the additional responsibility of Minister for Disability Reform, overseeing the design and implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Macklin was also a member of the Government's Expenditure Review Committee and Chair of the Government's Social Policy Committee.

Indigenous Affairs

Macklin was Minister for Indigenous Affairs throughout the Labor government's two terms in office. Macklin was instrumental in the Apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples, delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in February 2008 and the implementation of the Close the Gap Framework, the first comprehensive strategy for tackling Indigenous disadvantage in Australia's history. This strategy saw record investment in health, education, housing, early childhood development and remote Indigenous service provision.

She has said that one of her most important achievements was to take the politics out of Indigenous affairs and destroy the toxic division between "symbols" and "practical" change. On 23 November 2011, the Stronger Futures Policy legislation was introduced by Macklin to address key issues such as unemployment, school attendance, alcohol abuse, child protection, safety, housing and land reforms in the Northern Territory.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

On 10 August 2011, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister Macklin announced the Labor government's support for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) a major social policy reform designed to ensure that people with disability received the care and support they need.

The rollout of the NDIS commenced in 2013 at four launch sites around Australia, with full rollout to be completed in 2019. Macklin was instrumental in the success of negotiations with states and territories, which resulted in a nationwide agreement on the NDIS. When fully completed in 2019 the NDIS is expected to cover around 460,000 Australians with disability.

Macklin was the Minister was responsible for the design and implementation of Australia's first national paid parental leave scheme. Prior to its launch on 1 January 2011, Australia was one of two developed countries without a national paid parental leave scheme. The scheme provides primary care givers with 18 weeks paid parental leave paid at the national minimum wage. In the six years since the scheme was launched more than 700,000 Australian families have accessed paid parental leave.

An independent review of the scheme in 2014 found that more than 75 per cent of parents accessing paid parental leave were on incomes of less than $70,000 a year. In the 2015 Budget the Abbott government announced a measure to end so called "double dipping" of paid parental leave by restricting 80,000 new parents from accessing both employer and government paid parental leave schemes. The use of the term provoked widespread condemnation from women's groups and some employers. Macklin led Labor's opposition to the Liberal government's cuts to paid parental leave, which have failed to pass the Parliament.

Dad and Partner Pay

The introduction of Dad and Partner Pay (DAPP) on 1 January 2013, established two weeks paid leave to fathers and partners to help them take time off work to support new mothers in their caring role and be involved in the care of their newborn baby. This was another social policy reform that Macklin spearheaded during her time as Minister. An independent report conducted by the University of Queensland in 2014 found that DAPP reduced the barriers to fathers taking leave following a birth.

Apology to Forgotten Australians

Macklin was also the steward for the national apology to the Forgotten Australians and former child migrants, in her capacity as Families Minister. Prime Minister Rudd gave the apology on 16 November 2009 on behalf of the Australian Government to over half a million children who were taken from their families and placed in institutions where they were often victims of abuse. Macklin said the apology demonstrated "the shared resolve to make sure the abuse and neglect never happens again".

Opposition (2013–2019)

Macklin in 2013 Jenny Macklin 2013 (cropped).jpg
Macklin in 2013

Following the ALP's defeat at the 2013 federal election, Macklin endorsed Anthony Albanese for the leadership of the party. [10] Albanese was defeated by Bill Shorten in the leadership vote. Macklin was included in Shorten's shadow ministry and retained her place until announcing her retirement, holding the portfolios of families and payments (2013–2016), disability reform (2013–2016) and families and social services (2016–2018). [1]

Macklin announced her retirement from politics on 6 July 2018, effective at the 2019 federal election. [11]

Later activities

In June 2020, Macklin and former Victorian Labor Premier Steve Bracks were appointed as administrators of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party by the party's National Executive until early 2021, after allegations of branch-stacking by Victorian minister Adem Somyurek were revealed. The pair will review the state party's operations and provide detailed recommendations to tackle the issue of branch-stacking within the party. [12]

In 2022, Macklin was appointed as chair of the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee, a panel which publishes yearly recommendations to government on the adequacy of welfare payments. [13] [14] Macklin was also appointed to the Australian University Accords panel in 2022 by education minister Jason Clare. The panel published a final report in 2024 recommending reforms to Australia's higher education system. [15]

Honours

Macklin was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours for "eminent service to the people and Parliament of Australia, to social welfare, particularly the introduction of paid parental leave and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and to the Indigenous community". [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Crean</span> Australian politician (1949–2023)

Simon Findlay Crean was an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and leader of the opposition from 2001 to 2003. He represented the seat of Hotham in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 2013 and was a cabinet minister in the Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Rudd</span> Prime Minister of Australia (2007–2010; 2013)

Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian diplomat and former politician who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and June to September 2013. He held office as the leader of the Labor Party (ALP) and was the member of parliament (MP) the Queensland division of Griffith from 1998 to 2013. Since 2023, Rudd has been the ambassador of Australia to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Gillard</span> Prime Minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013

Julia Eileen Gillard is an Australian former politician who served as the 27th prime minister of Australia and the leader of the Labor Party (ALP) from 2010 to 2013. She was the member of parliament (MP) for the Victorian division of Lalor from 1998 to 2013. She previously served as the 13th deputy prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010, under Kevin Rudd. She is the first and only woman to hold either office in Australian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine King (politician)</span> Australian politician (born 1966)

Catherine Fiona King is an Australian politician serving as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government since 2022 and as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ballarat since 2001. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and briefly served as a minister in the Gillard and Rudd governments in 2013. She served as Shadow Minister of Health from 2013 to 2019 and as Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development from 2019 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanya Plibersek</span> Australian politician (born 1969)

Tanya Joan Plibersek is an Australian politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 2013 to 2019. She has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sydney since 1998. A member of the Labor Party, Plibersek served as a Cabinet Minister in the Rudd, Gillard and Albanese governments. She is currently the Minister for the Environment and Water in the Albanese ministry since 2022, having previously served as the Shadow Minister for Education and Shadow Minister for Women between 2019 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Smith (Australian politician)</span> Australian politician

Stephen Francis Smith is an Australian former politician and diplomat serving as the 26th and current high commissioner of Australia to the United Kingdom since 2023. A member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), he was the federal member of Parliament (MP) for the division of Perth from 1993 to 2013, serving in the Rudd and Gillard governments as minister for Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2010, minister for Trade in 2010 and minister for Defence from 2010 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Carr</span> Australian politician

Kim John Carr is an Australian former politician who served as a Senator for Victoria between 1993 and 2022. Representing the Labor Party, he was a minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Shorten</span> Australian politician (born 1967)

William Richard Shorten is an Australian politician and former trade unionist serving as the current Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. Previously, Shorten was leader of the opposition and leader of the Labor Party (ALP) from 2013 to 2019. A member of parliament (MP) for the division of Maribyrnong since 2007, Shorten also held several ministerial portfolios in the Gillard and Rudd governments from 2010 to 2013.

The Shadow Ministry of Kim Beazley was the opposition Australian Labor Party shadow ministry of Australia from January 2005 to December 2006, opposing John Howard's Coalition ministry.

The Shadow Ministry of Mark Latham was the opposition Australian Labor Party shadow ministry of Australia from December 2003 to January 2005, opposing John Howard's Coalition ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Butler</span> Australian politician

Mark Christopher Butler is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has served in the House of Representatives since 2007. He was a minister in the Gillard and Rudd governments and also served as national president of the ALP from 2015 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Collins</span> Australian politician (born 1971)

Julie Maree Collins 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 Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry.

In Australian politics, a leadership spill is a declaration that the leadership of a parliamentary party is vacant and open for contest. A spill may involve all or some of the leadership positions. Where a rival to the existing leader calls for a spill it may also be called a leadership challenge. When successful, it is often said that the former leader has been "rolled". In Australian English the colloquial use of the word "spill" seems to have begun in the mid-1940s with the contest to replace Prime Minister John Curtin after his death on 5 July 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span> Leadership spill

A leadership spill occurred in the Australian Labor Party on 24 June 2010. Kevin Rudd, the prime minister of Australia, was challenged by Julia Gillard, the deputy prime minister of Australia, for the leadership of the Australian Labor Party. Gillard won the election unopposed after Rudd declined to contest, choosing instead to resign. Gillard was duly sworn in as prime minister by Quentin Bryce, the Governor-General, on 24 June 2010 at Government House, becoming Australia's first female prime minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillard government</span> Australian government led by Julia Gillard (2010–2013)

The Gillard government was the Government of Australia led by the 27th prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, of the Australian Labor Party. The Gillard government succeeded the first Rudd government by way of the Labor Party leadership spill, and began on 24 June 2010, with Gillard sworn in as prime minister by the governor-general of Australia, Quentin Bryce. The Gillard government ended when Kevin Rudd won back the leadership of the Australian Labor Party on 26 June 2013 and commenced the second Rudd government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span>

A leadership spill of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) was held on 4 December 2006. Opposition Leader Kim Beazley was challenged by Shadow Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, while Deputy Opposition Leader Jenny Macklin was challenged by Shadow Health Minister Julia Gillard in a joint-ticket. Rudd defeated Beazley, after which Macklin resigned, leaving Gillard to become Deputy Leader unopposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span>

A leadership spill of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), the official opposition party in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 28 January 2005. The outgoing Opposition Leader, Mark Latham, stood down 13 months after assuming the leadership in December 2003. Kim Beazley was the only contender for the ballot, and was therefore elected unopposed.

Two leadership spills of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), the official opposition party in the Parliament of Australia, were held on 16 June 2003 and 2 December 2003, respectively. The Opposition Leader, Simon Crean, won the ballot in June against former opposition leader Kim Beazley, but resigned as leader in late November after losing support from his colleagues and did not contest the December ballot which Mark Latham won against Kim Beazley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudd government (2013)</span> 2nd Rudd government of Australia

The second Rudd government was the federal executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party. It commenced on 27 June 2013 and ceased on 18 September 2013. Rudd had previously served a term as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010 and been replaced by his deputy Julia Gillard, following an internal party spill. Rudd regained the Labor Party leadership by successfully re-challenging Gillard in a June 2013 party spill. On 5 August, Rudd called an election for 7 September 2013, which resulted in the defeat of his government by the Liberal/National Coalition led by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Australian Labor Party leadership election</span>

The Australian Labor Party held a leadership election on 22 November 2001, following the resignation of Kim Beazley after the party's defeat at the 2001 federal election. Deputy leader and Shadow Treasurer Simon Crean was elected unopposed as Beazley's replacement, thus becoming Leader of the Opposition.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Hon Jenny Macklin MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia . Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Skelton, Russell (3 April 2010). "Full steam ahead". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  3. "Centenary of Wangaratta High School". Australian Government. 7 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. Bevege, Margaret; James, Margaret; Shute, Carmel (1982). Worth her Salt: Women at Work in Australia. Sydney: Hale & Iremonger. p. xii.
  5. "Government health review 'a waste'". The Canberra Times. 7 October 1991. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  6. "Aborigines in urgent need of health care: Richardson". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  7. "George to contest for Senate". The Canberra Times. 5 December 1994. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  8. "Uphill battle of breaking into politics and business". The Canberra Times. 22 December 1994. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  9. Topsfield, Jewel (5 December 2006). "Factions left behind in leadership vote". The Age. Canberra. Archived from the original on 29 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  10. "Senior Labor MP Jenny Macklin backs Anthony Albanese for Labor leadership". The Age. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  11. "Veteran Labor MP Jenny Macklin announces retirement after 22-year career". ABC News. 6 July 2018. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  12. "Labor Party's national executive pledges to clean up troubled Victoria branch". ABC News. 17 June 2020. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  13. "Members appointed to Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee". Treasury.gov.au. 16 December 2022.
  14. Kehoe, JOhn (27 November 2022). "Labor to face pressure to increase JobSeeker under IR horse-trading". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  15. Ireland, Judith (25 February 2024). "Universities Accord final report: what is it, and what does it recommend?". The Conversatioon.
  16. "King's Birthday 2023 Honours - the full list". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. 11 June 2023. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Families, Community
Services and Indigenous Affairs

2007–2013
Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Jagajaga
1996–2019
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party
2001–2006
Succeeded by