Ljiljanna Ravlich
Encyclopedia
Ljiljanna Ravlich is a Western Australia
n politician. She is currently an Australian Labor Party
member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
, and was most notable for being the Minister for Education
during the debate over the introduction of outcomes-based education. Since finishing in that role in December 2006, she has been the state's Minister for Government Enterprises; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship; Youth; and Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
, Yugoslavia
until the age of five, when her family emigrated to Perth, Western Australia
in 1963. Her family initially lived in Midland
, and Ravlich attended Governor Stirling Senior High School
. She continued her tertiary education at Curtin University of Technology
where she completed a BA (SocSc)
majoring in economics
and also Graduate Diploma
s in Education and Education Administration. From 1980, she worked as a high school teacher in Norseman
, Kambalda
, Northam
and Morawa
. Later she moved into education management before starting her own consulting company. She married in 1984, but the marriage lasted only two years.
in 1996, becoming the first woman born in a non-English speaking country to enter the Parliament of Western Australia
. She is also thought to be the first Croatian-born woman elected to a parliament
outside Croatia
. When the Gallop
Labor
government was elected in 2001
, she served as a parliamentary secretary until 2005, when she was appointed as Local Government Minister. Shortly afterwards she became the Minister for Education. Charged with the implementation of a controversial outcomes-based education policy, she held a high-profile portfolio and received much media coverage before losing her ministerial position in December 2006.
In March 2007, as a result of a cabinet reshuffle by Premier Alan Carpenter
, Ravlich was reinstated into the cabinet.
She lives in Cottesloe
, and is the partner of Western Australia's State Opposition Leader Eric Ripper
.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n politician. She is currently an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
, and was most notable for being the Minister for Education
Minister for Education (Western Australia)
The Minister for Education of Western Australia is the member of the Government of Western Australia responsible for maintenance and improvement of Western Australia's system of education, and is answerable to the Parliament for all actions taken by the Department of Education and Training under...
during the debate over the introduction of outcomes-based education. Since finishing in that role in December 2006, she has been the state's Minister for Government Enterprises; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship; Youth; and Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
Early life
Ravlich lived in the small village of KozicaKozica
Kozica; is a small village in the Split-Dalmatia County of Croatia. It is in the jurisdiction of Vrgorac, 80 km southeast of Split. It lies just below Sveti Mihovil mountain which is 1247 m high.-Ottoman Empire:...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
until the age of five, when her family emigrated to Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1963. Her family initially lived in Midland
Midland, Western Australia
Midland is a suburb in the Perth, Western Australia metropolitan area, as well as the regional centre for the City of Swan local government area that covers the Swan Valley and parts of the Darling Scarp to the east. It is situated at the intersection of Great Eastern Highway and Great Northern...
, and Ravlich attended Governor Stirling Senior High School
Governor Stirling Senior High School
Governor Stirling Senior High School is a secondary education facility from years 8 to 12 located in Woodbridge, Western Australia, providing both vocational and tertiary entrance education.- History :...
. She continued her tertiary education at Curtin University of Technology
Curtin University of Technology
Curtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
where she completed a BA (SocSc)
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
majoring in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and also Graduate Diploma
Graduate Diploma
A Graduate Diploma is generally a postgraduate qualification, although some graduate diplomas involve the study of undergraduate level courses...
s in Education and Education Administration. From 1980, she worked as a high school teacher in Norseman
Norseman, Western Australia
Norseman is a town located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia along the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, east of Perth and above sea level. It is also the starting point of the Eyre Highway, and the last major town in Western Australia before the South Australian border to the...
, Kambalda
Kambalda, Western Australia
Kambalda is a small mining town about 60 kilometres from the mining city of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, within the Goldfields. It is split into two townsites 4 kilometres apart, Kambalda East and Kambalda West; and is located on the western edge of a giant salt lake, Lake Lefroy...
, Northam
Northam, Western Australia
Northam is a town in Western Australia, situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers, about north-east of Perth in the Avon Valley. At the 2006 census, Northam had a population of 6,009. Northam is the largest town in the Avon region...
and Morawa
Morawa, Western Australia
Morawa is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is located within the Shire of Morawa, approximately 370 kilometres north of the state capital Perth, on the railway line between Wongan Hills and Mullewa.- History :...
. Later she moved into education management before starting her own consulting company. She married in 1984, but the marriage lasted only two years.
Political career
Ravlich was elected to the Legislative CouncilWestern Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
in 1996, becoming the first woman born in a non-English speaking country to enter the Parliament of Western Australia
Parliament of Western Australia
The Parliament of Western Australia consists of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly . The Parliament sits at Parliament House in Harvest Terrace, Perth....
. She is also thought to be the first Croatian-born woman elected to a parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
outside Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. When the Gallop
Geoff Gallop
Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney.-Early life and education:...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government was elected in 2001
Western Australian state election, 2001
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 10 February 2001 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, she served as a parliamentary secretary until 2005, when she was appointed as Local Government Minister. Shortly afterwards she became the Minister for Education. Charged with the implementation of a controversial outcomes-based education policy, she held a high-profile portfolio and received much media coverage before losing her ministerial position in December 2006.
In March 2007, as a result of a cabinet reshuffle by Premier Alan Carpenter
Alan Carpenter
Alan John Carpenter is a former Australian politician. He was the 28th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 2006 to 2008. He took office following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop...
, Ravlich was reinstated into the cabinet.
She lives in Cottesloe
Cottesloe, Western Australia
-Transport:Cottesloe is served by Swanbourne, Grant Street, Cottesloe, Mosman Park and Victoria Street railway stations on the Fremantle line. Various bus routes along Stirling Highway and through the suburb's western and eastern sections link Cottesloe to Perth and Fremantle. All services are...
, and is the partner of Western Australia's State Opposition Leader Eric Ripper
Eric Ripper
Eric Stephen Ripper is the Leader of the Opposition and leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia.He grew up on a wheat/sheep farm near Nyabing. Ripper later attended Churchlands Senior High School and the University of Western Australia, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts and a...
.