Foreign Minister Australia
Minister for Foreign Affairs or Foreign Minister Australia has a key position in the Cabinet of Australia. The importance can be judged from the fact that till July 2016, 11 Prime Ministers have worked as a Foreign Minister Australia.
Foreign Minister Australia is chiefly responsible for formulating the foreign policies, intelligence and international diplomacy, acts as the spokesperson on international affairs and grants diplomatic powers to foreign dignitaries.
Below is a small biography of current Foreign Minister Australia along with her recent predecessor Honorable Bob Carr.
Honorable Julie Bishop (Foreign Minister Australia since 18 September 2013)
As of July 2016 the Honorable Julie Bishop is Foreign Minister Australia. She was sworn in as the Foreign Minister on 18 September 2013 in Australias Federal Coalition Government. She is also the first female Foreign Minister Australia. Prior to becoming the Foreign Minister, she was the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for four years.
Her portfolio agencies are Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia (DFAT), Austrade, Tourism Australia, Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and Australian Secret Intelligence Service.
DFAT offers many services such as Certifying Documents Australia, issuing Passports, travel advisory through Smarttraveller, Statistical Information services, Protocol and Consular services, issuing Apostilles, authentications and Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage.
Bishop was born on 17 July 1956 in Lobethal, South Australia. She grew up in Adelaide Hills and graduated with Bachelors of Laws from Adelaide University in 1978. She started her legal career in 1983 as a commercial litigation lawyer in Clayton Utz, a legal firm located in Perth. In 1985 she became a partner of the firm and in 1994 a managing partner.
In 1996 she attended the Harvard Business School in Boston and completed the Advanced Management Program for Senior Managers.
Hon Julie Bishop started her political career in 1998 when she was selected by the Liberal Party for the seat of Curtin, Western Australia. She won the general elections held in October 1998, taking down Allan Rocher, who was a Liberal turned independent representative from Curtin since 1981. Bishop is serving as a Member of Curtin in the House of Representatives till date.
In 2007 she became the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. Prior to this she served as Cabinet Minister in the Howard Government. From 2003 to 2006 she was the Minister of Ageing and from 2006 to 2007 she was the Minister for Education, Science and Training, where she also served as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Womens Issues.
Senator the Honorable Bob Carr (Foreign Minister Australia from 13 March 2012 – 18 September 2013)
Honorable Bob Carr was nominated in the Australian Senate to fill up a casual vacancy which was caused by resignation of Mark Arbib. Prime Minister Julia Gillard designated Bob as the Foreign Minister.
Bob was born on 28 September 1947 in Matraville, Sydney. In very early years he developed an interest for politics. At an early age of 15, he joined the Australian Labor Party and went on to become the national President of Young Labor and New South Wales branch.
He graduated from University of New South Wales with Bachelor of Arts with History Honors. Soon after graduation he started working as a journalist. He was later appointed as an Education Officer for the Labor Council of New South Wales.
His political career in New South Wales started in October 1983 when he was elected as the member of Maroubra representing the Australian Labor Party. After entering the New South Wales Legislative Assembly he was appointed as a Minister in various ministries.
In March 1995 he was elected the Premier in New South Wales. In 2005 he retired from politics and become the longest continuously serving Premier in New South Wales history.
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