Anna Bligh

In March 2009, Anna Bligh made history as the first woman to lead a party to victory in a State election in Australia. She is now the CEO of the NSW YWCA.

Born in Queensland in 1960, Anna grew up mainly on the Gold Coast. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 1980 and worked in the community sector and the public service before entering Parliament as the Labor member for South Brisbane in 1995.

She joined the shadow ministry the following year and became a minister in 2001. She held several senior portfolios, before becoming Deputy Premier in 2005, and Premier in 2007. After losing the election in 2012, she left politics and took up her current position at the YWCA.