Julie Collins

Julie Maree Collins (born 3 July 1971) is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has represented the Tasmanian seat of Franklin since the 2007 federal election. She held ministerial positions in the Gillard and Rudd governments, and is Minister for Housing and Homelessness and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry.

Early life
Collins was born in Hobart on 3 July 1971. Her father died when she was five months old, leaving her mother, Anne Peters, widowed at the age of 19. She spent her early years in her grandparents' housing commission property. Her mother subsequently remarried and she was adopted by her step-father Andrew Collins.

Collins attended Cosgrove High School but discontinued her studies at 15 before finishing high school and began a full time role at the local supermarket she worked at since she was 14. She did this as she became aware that she could not financially afford the costs of college. Shortly after the 1987 federal election she began working for the ALP as an administrative assistant. She holds a certificate IV in business administration.

Politics
Prior to entering parliament herself, Collins worked in various administrative positions for Tasmanian Labor MPs and state government departments. She worked for the state health department (1990–1993), state opposition leader Michael Field (1993–1994), Senator John Coates (1995–1996), Senator Sue Mackay (1996–1998), Hydro Tasmania (1998), state premier Jim Bacon (1998–2003), the state Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (2003–2005), and Senator Carol Brown (2005–2006).

Collins was state president of Young Labor in 1996 and a delegate to state and national conference. She served as state secretary of the ALP from 2006 to 2007.

Collins is a member of Labor Left.

Rudd and Gillard governments (2007–2013)
Collins was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2007 federal election retaining the Division of Franklin for the ALP following the retirement of Harry Quick and becoming the first woman to represent the electorate. Quick had been expelled from the ALP months prior after failing to pay his membership fees, and appearing with Liberal party representatives Vanessa Goodwin the candidate for Franklin and minister Joe Hockey when the preselected ALP candidate for Franklin was Tasmanian union official Kevin Harkins who Quick opposed. Harkins resigned as candidate after more controversy and Collins was preselected as the candidate by the ALP's national executive. Collins had previously unsuccessfully stood for the seat of Denison in the 2006 state election.

She successfully held her seat in the 2010 federal election and was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services on 14 September 2010 in the First Gillard ministry. In 2011, Collins became Minister for Community Services, Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, and Minister for the Status of Women in the Second Gillard ministry. In 2012, Collins voted for same-sex marriage when Labor politicians were given a conscience vote. In 2013, Collins gained additional responsibilities as the Minister for Housing and Homelessness and was promoted to the cabinet in the Second Rudd ministry. She remained in these positions until the defeat of the Rudd government in September 2013.

Opposition (2013–2022)
Collins held her seat in the 2013, 2016 and 2019 federal elections. She served in the shadow cabinet in roles including Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health, Shadow Minister for Women and Shadow Minister for Agriculture.

Albanese government (2022–present)
Following the 2022 federal election, Collins was appointed Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry. Collins voted for the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 that removed the block on the ability of the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory to pass euthanasia laws when Labor politicians were given a conscience vote. Collins introduced the Housing Australia Future Fund bill into parliament.

Personal life
Collins has three children with her husband Ian Hubbard.