Cunningham MP Sharon Bird has been appointed Minister for Higher Education and Skills as part of Julia Gillard’s ministerial reshuffle.
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Ms Bird becomes the Illawarra’s first federal minister since 1990 when former Cunningham MP Stewart West was a minister in the Hawke government.
Ms Bird said she was thrilled with the promotion, particularly as it was in an education portfolio.
The former higher education minister Chris Bowen was among the ministers who stepped down from their ministerial roles in the wake of last Thursday’s leadership spill.
‘‘My whole working life has been in the education sector,’’ Ms Bird said.
‘‘There will be an increased workload, but when you are doing it in an area you love and are passionate about it is not a burden.’’
Ms Bird said she received the phone call from the Prime Minister on Sunday.
‘‘She indicated she would like me to take up the responsibility and I very quickly said yes,’’ Ms Bird said.
Ms Bird said it was a great responsibility to represent a local area, and it was an extraordinary privilege to be able to serve at a national level.
While the promotion was ‘‘a bit daunting as any new job is’’ it was also encouraging that the team and leader had faith in her ability, she said.
Appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education and Skills in March 2012, Ms Bird was a high school and TAFE teacher as well as a senior project officer with the NSW Department of Juvenile Justice, before she was elected to Parliament in 2004.
Ms Bird said her experience in the Illawarra, which has gone through an economic transformation, had given her a great background for her role.
That experience included working on emerging job and training opportunities with organisations across the region including the University of Wollongong, TAFE, the Illawarra Business Chamber and Australian Industry Group.
Ms Bird is the Illawarra’s first federal minister since 1990. Former Cunningham MP Stewart West held various portfolios in the Hawke ministry from 1983 to 1990, while his successor as Cunningham MP Stephen Martin served as the House of Representatives speaker from 1993 to 1996.
The National Party’s John Sharpe represented Gilmore from 1983 to 1991, however when he became a minister in the Howard government he was representing the seat of Hume.
