About Julie

Julie was born and educated in South Australia, and, after completing a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Adelaide in 1978, she practised law and became a partner at the age of 26 years of an Adelaide law firm, Mangan Ey & Bishop.

In 1983 Julie moved to Perth and practised as a commercial litigation solicitor at Clayton Utz. She became a partner of Clayton Utz in 1985, and was the managing partner of the Perth firm from 1994 to 1998. Julie was responsible for the day-to-day management of the firm with more than 200 employees and a multi-million dollar turnover.

In 1996, Julie attended Harvard Business School in Boston and completed the Advanced Management Program for Senior Managers, including subjects in global financial accounting and government, business and the international economy.

She is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Julie was elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Curtin in 1998 and again in 2001, 2004 and 2007.

Julie has served on a number of parliamentary and policy committees - she was Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, Chair of the Government Trade and Foreign Affairs Policy Committee, Secretary of the Treasury and Finance Policy Committee, a member of the Joint Statutory Committee on Corporations and Securities, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and the Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs, as well as a number of other Government policy committees.

Prior to entering Parliament Julie held a number of positions including as Chair of the Western Australia Town Planning Appeals Tribunal; a member of Murdoch University Senate; the board of the Anglican Schools Commission, a director of SBS (TV and Radio) Corporation and a board member of the Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA WA).

Prior to her appointment to the Ministry, Julie was also Ambassador of the Muscular Dystrophy Association in WA, on the Council of Governors of the Lions Ear and Hearing Institute, a patron of CanTeen and vice patron of Westcare Incorporated.

Previously Julie was also on the Board of the Cancer Foundation WA and she remains a patron and active member of many business, cultural and sporting organisations in her electorate.

Julie served as a Cabinet Minister in the Coalition Government as Minister for Education, Science and Training and as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues. Prior to this, Julie was Minister for Ageing.

She is currently Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Treasurer.