Julie Bishop

The Honourable Julie Bishop
Official portrait, 2016
United Nations Special Envoy on Myanmar
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 April 2024
Preceded by	Noeleen Heyzer
Chancellor of Australian National University
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 January 2020
Preceded by	Gareth Evans
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 18 September 2013 – 28 August 2018
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison
Preceded by	Bob Carr
Succeeded by	Marise Payne
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party
In office 29 November 2007 – 24 August 2018
Leader	Brendan Nelson Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Peter Costello
Succeeded by	Josh Frydenberg
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
In office 3 December 2007 – 18 September 2013
Leader	Brendan Nelson Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott
Preceded by	Julia Gillard
Succeeded by	Tanya Plibersek
Minister for Education and Science
In office 27 January 2006 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Brendan Nelson
Succeeded by	Julia Gillard
Minister for Women
In office 27 January 2006 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Kay Patterson
Succeeded by	Tanya Plibersek
Minister for Ageing
In office 7 October 2003 – 27 January 2006
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Kevin Andrews
Succeeded by	Santo Santoro
Member of the Australian Parliament for Curtin
In office 3 October 1998 – 18 May 2019
Preceded by	Allan Rocher
Succeeded by	Celia Hammond
Senator for Murdoch University
In office 12 May 1997 – 3 October 1998
Nominated by	George Lodge
Appointed by	Ronald Wilson
Director of the Special Broadcasting Service
In office 1997–1998
Preceded by	Brian Johns
Succeeded by	Carla Zampatti
Personal details
Born	Julie Isabel Bishop (1956-07-17) 17 July 1956 (age 67) Lobethal, South Australia, Australia
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Neil Gillon ​ (m. 1983⁠–⁠1988)​
Alma mater	University of Adelaide[1][2]

Julie Isabel Bishop (born 17 July 1956) is an Australian former politician who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2018 and deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Curtin from 1998 to 2019. She has been the chancellor of the Australian National University since January 2020.

Bishop was born in Lobethal, South Australia, and studied law at the University of Adelaide. Prior to entering politics she worked as a commercial lawyer in Perth, Western Australia; she was the local managing partner of Clayton Utz. She was a delegate to the 1998 constitutional convention, and also served as a director of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) and as a member of the Murdoch University senate. Bishop was elected to parliament at the 1998 federal election, representing the Division of Curtin in Perth's western suburbs. In the Howard government, she served as Minister for Ageing (2003–2006), Minister for Education and Science (2006–2007), and Minister for Women (2006–2007).

After the Coalition lost the 2007 election, Bishop was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party. She was the first woman to hold the position, and was re-elected to the post at multiple leadership spills following her initial election. During her time as deputy, there were three different Liberal leaders—Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull, and Tony Abbott. When the Coalition returned to power at the 2013 election, Bishop was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Abbott government. She was Australia's first female foreign minister. Issues that arose during her tenure included changes to the Australian foreign aid program, the international military intervention against ISIL, the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, and the execution of Australian citizens by Indonesia.

In August 2018, Peter Dutton challenged Turnbull for the leadership of the Liberal Party, due to dissatisfaction from the party's conservative wing. Turnbull defeated Dutton in a leadership ballot, but tensions continued to mount and the party voted in favour of holding a second spill; Bishop chose to be a candidate. In the second vote, Bishop was eliminated in the first round by Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison, with Morrison elected as party leader (and thus prime minister) in the second round.^[3] She declined to retain the foreign affairs portfolio in the Morrison Ministry, instead moving to the backbench. Bishop retired from politics on 11 April 2019, before the impending federal election.^[4]

On 1 January 2020 Bishop commenced her term as chancellor of the Australian National University.^[5] She is the first woman to be in this position.

In April 2024 Bishop was appointed United Nations special envoy for Myanmar.^[6]