Lara Giddings
She broke Tasmania's highest political glass ceiling, steering the island state through a period of economic challenge as its first female Premier.
Born 1972 (age 54)·44th Premier of Tasmania·Birthday: November 14·Generation X
Biography
Lara Giddings entered politics with a perspective shaped by an unconventional childhood, having been born in Papua New Guinea. Her family's move to Tasmania ignited a deep connection to the island, and she joined the Labor Party as a teenager. Elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly at just 29, she quickly became a minister, handling demanding portfolios like Health and Justice. In 2011, following a party resignation, she was thrust into the premiership, making history as Tasmania's first woman to hold the office. Her tenure was defined by navigating the aftermath of the global financial crisis, requiring tough budgetary decisions that drew significant criticism. Though her government was defeated in 2014, her premiership remains a landmark. After politics, Giddings has applied her policy expertise to governance roles in the not-for-profit sector, focusing on social justice and international development.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lara was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Lara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first woman to serve as Premier of Tasmania, holding the office from 2011 to 2014.
- Served as the Treasurer of Tasmania during the challenging global financial crisis, managing the state's budget.
- Was elected to the Tasmanian Parliament at age 29, representing the electorate of Franklin for 16 years.
- Held multiple ministerial portfolios including Health, Justice, and Arts before ascending to the premiership.
Did You Know?
She was born in Goroka, Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as an aid worker.
She is a trained classical pianist and has a strong interest in the arts.
After leaving politics, she served as the President of the International Commission of Jurists, Victoria.
She was a member of the Labor Left faction within the Tasmanian Labor Party.
“Good policy is about listening to people's lives, not just their votes.”
