Julie Bishop

Julie Bishop is a prominent Australian lawyer, politician and diplomat whose career spans more than four decades of public service and private sector leadership. Born on 17 July 1956 in Lobethal, South Australia, she grew up on a family orchard and excelled academically at St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School before earning a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide in 1978. After a distinguished legal career—including partnership at Robinson Cox and managing partnership of the Perth office of Clayton Utz—she entered politics in 1998, winning the Division of Curtin and quickly rising through the Liberal ranks. Bishop served as Minister for Ageing, Education and Science, and Women in the Howard government, before becoming the first female Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in 2007. In 2013 she broke another glass ceiling as Australia’s first female Minister for Foreign Affairs, steering the nation through the MH17 crisis, the fight against ISIS, and major reforms to the foreign aid programme. Her tenure was marked by bold diplomatic initiatives such as the New Colombo Plan and decisive actions on human rights in Myanmar and Indonesia. After retiring from Parliament in 2019, she was appointed Chancellor of the Australian National University in 2020, becoming the university’s first female chancellor, and in April 2024 she assumed the role of United Nations Special Envoy for Myanmar, underscoring her continued commitment to global governance. Throughout her career, Bishop has been recognised for her moderate liberal values, advocacy for a republic, and support for same‑sex marriage, earning numerous national and international honours. Her legacy includes a trailblazing path for women in Australian politics and a reputation as a skilled negotiator and principled public servant.