Julie Isabel Bishop (born 17 July, 1956), Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since 1998, representing the seat of Curtin in Western Australia.

Bishop was born in Lobethal, South Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide and the Harvard Business School. She graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Laws in 1978, and subsequently practised as a barrister and solicitor at Adelaide law firm Mangan Ey & Bishop, where she became a partner. In 1983 she relocated to Perth where she practised as a commercial litigation solicitor at Robinson Cox (now Clayton Utz). She became a partner of Clayton Utz in 1985, and managing partner (Western Australia) in 1994. In 1996 she attended Harvard Business School in Boston and completed the Advanced Management Program for Senior Managers.

Bishop was Chair of the Town Planning Appeal Tribunal of Western Australia, a Senate Member of Murdoch University, a director of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) and a director and fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Bishop won pre-selection for the safe Liberal seat of Curtin, Western Australia in 1998, and went on to win the seat for the Liberal Party at the Federal Election later that year against the sitting member and former Liberal turned independent, Alan Rocher who had held the seat since 1981.

Bishop was appointed Minister for Ageing in 2003, before being promoted to Minister for Education, Science and Training and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues in the cabinet reshuffle on 24 January, 2006.

She is married to the current Lord Mayor of Perth, Dr Peter Nattrass.

External link

• Personal website