Grace Grace

Summary

Ignazia Graziella "Grace" Grace (née Farfaglia;[a] born 12 August 1958) is an Australian politician from the state of Queensland. She has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for the seat of McConnel and its predecessor seat, Brisbane Central, for all but two years since 2007. She is a member of the Labor Party.

Grace Grace
Minister for Education
of Queensland
In office
12 December 2017 – 18 December 2023
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Steven Miles
Preceded byKate Jones
Succeeded byDi Farmer
Minister for Industrial Relations
of Queensland
Assumed office
7 December 2015
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Steven Miles
Preceded byCurtis Pitt
Minister for Racing
of Queensland
Assumed office
12 November 2020
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Steven Miles
Preceded byStirling Hinchliffe
In office
7 December 2015 – 11 December 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byBill Byrne
Succeeded byStirling Hinchliffe
Minister for Employment
of Queensland
In office
7 December 2015 – 11 December 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byCurtis Pitt
Succeeded byShannon Fentiman
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
of Queensland
In office
7 December 2015 – 11 December 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byShannon Fentiman
Succeeded byStirling Hinchliffe
Deputy Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
In office
24 March 2015 – 16 February 2016
Preceded byMark Robinson
Succeeded byDi Farmer
Member of the Queensland Parliament for McConnel
Brisbane Central (2007–2017)
Assumed office
31 January 2015
Preceded byRobert Cavallucci
In office
13 October 2007 – 24 March 2012
Preceded byPeter Beattie
Succeeded byRobert Cavallucci
Personal details
Born
Ignazia Graziella Farfaglia

(1958-08-12) 12 August 1958 (age 65)
Brisbane, Queensland
Political partyLabor
SpouseMichael Grace
Signature
Websitewww.gracegracemp.com

Grace was born in Brisbane, Queensland, the daughter of an Italian migrant cane cutter. She was an industrial relations advisor to the Keating government until 1995 when she was elected as assistant general secretary, and in 2000 the first female general secretary, of the Queensland Council of Unions.[1]

Grace was elected to the Legislative Assembly at the 2007 Brisbane Central state by-election following the resignation of Premier Peter Beattie. The Coalition did not field a candidate. She won the seat again in the 2009 state election, despite an 8.4 percent swing to the newly merged Liberal National Party (LNP).

Grace was a notable supporter of the ALP government's decision to legislate civil partnerships for homosexual couples in Queensland. New Farm and Fortitude Valley, the main centres for Brisbane's gay community, are both in her electorate and she has built close ties with gay rights organisations.

In the 2012 state election she lost her seat to the LNP's Robert Cavallucci. She regained her seat in the 2015 Queensland state election. She was elected Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, under Peter Wellington, and was given three Ministerial portfolios in a cabinet reshuffle on 7 December 2015.[2]

Notes edit

  1. ^ In Italian, her birth name is pronounced [iɲˈɲattsja ɡratˈtsjɛlla farˈfaʎʎa].

References edit

  1. ^ Notable unionist tipped for seat Archived 14 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, The Australian, 12 September 2007.
  2. ^ Agius, Kim (7 December 2015). "Queensland Cabinet reshuffle: Who's going where?". ABC News. ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Brisbane Central
2007–2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Brisbane Central
2015–2017
Abolished
New seat Member for McConnel
2017–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Deputy Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
2015–2016
Succeeded by