Julie Collins

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.

The Honourable Julie Collins MP
Collins in 2012
Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 June 2022
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Michael Sukkar
In office 1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Mark Butler
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Minister for Small Business
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 June 2022
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Stuart Robert
Minister for Community Services
In office 14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Minister for the Status of Women
In office 14 December 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard Kevin Rudd
Preceded by	Kate Ellis
Succeeded by	Tony Abbott
Member of the Australian Parliament for Franklin
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 November 2007
Preceded by	Harry Quick
Personal details
Born	Julie Maree Collins (1971-07-03) 3 July 1971 (age 52) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Political party	Labor
Occupation	Politician
Website	www.juliecollins.com

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. She enrolled in Elizabeth College, but had to discontinue her studies for financial reasons. Shortly after the 1987 federal election she began working for the ALP as an administrative assistant. She holds a certificate IV in business administration.

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.

Parliamentary career

Before her election as Member for Franklin in 2007, Collins 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 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.

Following the 2022 federal election, Collins was appointed Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Small Business in the Albanese ministry.

Collins has three children with her husband Ian Hubbard.

• First Gillard ministry
• Second Gillard ministry
• Second Rudd ministry
• Albanese ministry