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‘A great honour’: Julie Bishop lands new job after leaving politics

Aug 01, 2019

The retired Liberal politician said she was honoured to take on the new role. Source: Getty

Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has landed a new role, just months after announcing her shock resignation from politics.

Bishop, 63, is set to replace Gareth Evans as the next chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), the establishment announced in a statement on Thursday. Evans has been chancellor of the university since 2010.

“It is my immense honour to announce that the next Chancellor of The Australian National University will be The Hon. Julie Bishop,” the statement read.

“Continuing her long list of ‘firsts’, Julie will be our University’s first female Chancellor. Her three year term will begin on 1 January 2020.”

Meanwhile, in a pre-recorded message released on Thursday, the retired Liberal politician said she was honoured to be named chancellor.

“It is a great honour to take up the role of chancellor of ANU,” Bishop said. “Without doubt ANU is world-class in terms of education and research and it our nation’s leading university.”

I am delighted and honoured to take on role of Chancellor of Australian National University and look forward to working closely with the University community ????‍????https://t.co/oOk8wP2gfw @ANUmedia pic.twitter.com/wFtOSZFu7K

— Julie Bishop (@HonJulieBishop) August 1, 2019

It comes just six months after Bishop went up against Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton for leadership of the Liberal Party following the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull.

Meanwhile, the new comes just one day after the former pollie joined the advisory board of Afiniti, a software company focused on developing artificial intelligence for use in customer call centres.

“We’re proud to welcome former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop who joins our Advisory Board today. Her guidance and support will be invaluable as we continue to expand globally,” the company said in a statement on Twitter.

And it comes a month after Bishop announced she had landed a board director role at the international consultancy Palladium.

Bishop told The Australian Financial Review in July joining Palladium will continue her “long-standing personal interest” in economic development.

“I’ve long believed the private sector is the key to lifting living standards and economic development,” she told The AFR.

“It’s a long-standing personal interest of mine and working with a private company like Palladium will help me continue to work for opportunities in the Pacific and PNG.”

She is also becoming chair of the Telethon Kids Institute.