Anna Bligh

Anna Maria Bligh (born 14 July 1960) is an Australian politician who was the 37th Premier of Queensland from 13 September 2007 to 24 March 2012. She is from the Labor Party. She is the first female to be Premier of Queensland. On 16 August 2012 it was announced that Bligh was moving with her husband Greg Withers and the rest of her family to Sydney.

The Honourable Anna Bligh AC
Bligh in 2020
37th Premier of Queensland
In office 13 September 2007 – 26 March 2012
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Quentin Bryce Penelope Wensley
Deputy	Paul Lucas (2007–2011) Andrew Fraser (2011–2012)
Preceded by	Peter Beattie
Succeeded by	Campbell Newman
Minister for Reconstruction of Queensland
In office 21 February 2011 – 26 March 2012
Premier	Herself
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	Jeff Seeney
Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland
In office 13 September 2007 – 26 March 2012
Deputy	Paul Lucas (2007–2011) Andrew Fraser (2011–2012)
Preceded by	Peter Beattie
Succeeded by	Annastacia Palaszczuk
46th Treasurer of Queensland
In office 2 February 2006 – 13 September 2007
Premier	Peter Beattie
Preceded by	Peter Beattie
Succeeded by	Andrew Fraser
30th Deputy Premier of Queensland Deputy Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland
In office 28 July 2005 – 13 September 2007
Premier	Peter Beattie
Preceded by	Terry Mackenroth
Succeeded by	Paul Lucas
Minister for the Arts of Queensland
In office 12 February 2004 – 21 February 2011
Premier	Peter Beattie (2004–2007) Herself (2007–2011)
Preceded by	Matt Foley
Succeeded by	Rachel Nolan
Minister for Education of Queensland
In office 22 February 2001 – 28 July 2005
Premier	Peter Beattie
Preceded by	Dean Wells
Succeeded by	Rod Welford
Minister for Families, Community Services, Disability Services and Youth of Queensland
In office 29 June 1998 – 22 February 2001
Premier	Peter Beattie
Preceded by	Naomi Wilson
Member of the Queensland Parliament for South Brisbane
In office 15 July 1995 – 30 March 2012
Preceded by	Anne Warner
Succeeded by	Jackie Trad
National President of the Labor Party
In office August 2010 – 1 July 2011
Preceded by	Michael Williamson
Succeeded by	Jenny McAllister
Personal details
Born	Anna Maria Bligh (1960-07-14) 14 July 1960 Warwick, Queensland, Australia
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Greg Withers (1986–2015) Anthony Bertini (m. 2017)
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Queensland
Signature

Early Life

Anna was born at Warwick, Queensland. She is a descendant of Captain William Bligh. She grew up on the Gold Coast in south east Queensland. She was educated at several Catholic primary schools. Her secondary schooling was at Miami State High School. She completed the last six months of her schooling at Nowra State High School. She studied for an Arts degree from the University of Queensland which she finished in 1980. Anna Bligh worked for many community organisations and the Queensland Public Service. She worked in the area of employment, training and industrial relations policy. She was elected to the Queensland Parliament on 15 July 1995 and retired on 30 March 2012 following her defeat as Queensland Premier.

Parliament

She was made the Minister for Families, Youth and Community Care and Disability Services in the Beattie Labor Government in June 1998. Ann was Queensland's first female Education Minister. She later became minister for Finance, State Development, Trade and Innovation. In 1995 she was made Deputy Premier of Queensland, and also was the Treasurer and Minister of Infrastructure with a budget of $33 billion.