With the click of Julie Bishop’s heels, her place is back home

Julie Bishop’s role as a Liberal trailblazer, including being the first woman federal Lib deputy leader, has been recognised by all.

Julie Bishop leaves Parliament House yesterday after announcing the end of her political career. Picture: Kym Smith

Just over 20 years ago, Julie Bishop emerged as a strong and dedicated Liberal candidate in a fashionable white linen vision, with panache and more than just a little niggle for her prospective parliamentary leader and prime minister, John Howard.

Yesterday as she announced the end of her groundbreaking, political career in a similar vision of white and pearls, and sparkling heels, she did it with even more poise and didn’t forget some wry niggle for Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

But Ms Bishop left no one in any doubt about her Liberal ­credentials, loyalty and ongoing support: she predicted a Coalition win at the election; she belted Labor’s ­record; she pledged to campaign in her seat of Curtin for her ­successor; and declared her commitment to her “beloved Libera­l Party”.

Her role as a Liberal trailblazer, included being the first woman federal Liberal deputy leader — in four terms to three different male leaders — and first female foreign minister, was recognised by all.

Killer stare, killer heels: the Julie Bishop years

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She was popular with the public­, always a polling contender for Liberal leader, a renowned fundraiser, and available to help Libera­l MPs.

But her own definition of the deputy leader’s role being a separate elected entity and her ambitions to be leader created tensions, particularly with Brendan Nelson and Tony Abbott, and ended bitter­ly with a lost ballot for leader last year after Malcolm Turnbull’s removal.

Ever since her move to the backbench last year after that ­failed, final bid to be the first ­female Liberal prime minister, it has been assumed Ms Bishop would not contest the next election.

Her timing yesterday, on the last parliamentary sitting day before­ the April budget, was driven by her wish to see a preselection held for Curtin, to ensure a woman succeeds her and that sitting West Australian MPs, including the ­Attorney-General, Christian Porter, aren’t slotted into her safe seat.

 

Ms Bishop won Curtin, in Perth’s western suburbs, with a primary vote of 65.6 per cent at the 2016 election.

After praising the Coalition’s economic policies and bagging Labor’s inability to “learn from its past failings”, Ms Bishop told parliamen­t yesterday: “It is thus my view that the Liberal-National ­Coalition will win the next ­election.

“On that basis, I have reconsider­ed my position as the member for Curtin.”

She cited the chance for a number of “extraordinary people, including women” to take her place. “And I will work hard in the meantime to assist a new Liberal candidate to win the seat,” she said.

Ms Bishop’s comments were in contrast to Mr Turnbull’s ­failure to campaign for Liberal candidate Dave Sharma in the Wentworth by-election after he left parliament.

Ms Bishop declared her love for the Liberal Party and the “immens­e honour” it had been to serve in cabinet.

“Also to be the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, the first female­ to hold the role, for 11 years, over half my entire polit­ical career,” she added.

With a wry smile and looking at her Liberal colleagues who had voted for Mr Morrison and Peter Dutton over her, she said: “I am also proud of the fact that I am the first woman to contest the leadership ballot of the ­Liberal Party in its 75-year histor­y.

“My five years as foreign minist­er were a particular privil­ege. Being able to represent Australi­a on the world stage. We should be so proud of our reput­ation and the high regard in which we are held as a nation.

“I thank and acknowledge the prime ministers in whose ­cabinets I served: John Howard, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull.”

Last night, Mr Abbott, who was removed when Ms Bishop supported Mr Turnbull, said: “Julie Bishop was a very effective foreign minister in my government. She will always be remembered as the first woman to hold this very important post.”

Mr Morrison and Bill Shorten were more enthusiastic in parliament although Ms Bishop, who had entered the chamber with the Prime Minister, exited the chamber before their tributes began.

The Prime Minister said: “I think it is important to acknow­ledge her tremendous service to our country, her tremendous service to her community, tremendous service to the party, the Liberal Party. Julie is a ­Liberal through and through and she has always held fast to those important liberal principles.”

Despite some Labor MPs rankling at Ms Bishop using her unorthodox farewell speech to campaign against the ALP’s record­, the Opposition Leader was gracious, particularly noting Ms Bishop’s achievements as a female MP.

Curiously, the Labor leader, who could be prime minister by June, said it would be unfortun­ate if a place for Ms Bishop could not be found “in some form of public service” — similar words Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd used to farewell Brendan Nelson from parliament just ­before appointing him as an ambassad­or.