As the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and in her previous role as Deputy Prime
Minister, Gillard played a pivotal role in the successful management of
Australia’s economy - the 12th largest in the world - during the global financial crisis. Gillard developed Australia’s
guiding policy paper, ‘Australia in the Asian Century’. During her tenure, she delivered nation-changing policies such as reforming Australia education system, creating an emissions trading scheme, improving the provision and sustainability of health care, launching the nation’s first ever scheme to care for people with disabilities, restructuring the telecommunications sector, and building a national broadband network.
In foreign policy, Gillard strengthened Australia’s alliance with the US, and secured stronger architecture for the relationship with China, India, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea. She has represented Australia at the G20, and won Australia’s right to host the 2014 meeting.