Biography
THE HON LJILJANNA RAVLICH BA (SocSc) DipEd DipEd(Admin) MLC
Minister for Local Government; Racing and Gaming; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship; Government Enterprises; Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure; Goldfields-Esperance; Youth
Member for East Metropolitan Region
Ljiljanna Ravlich is the first woman born in a non-English speaking country to be elected to the Western Australian Parliament and appointed a Minister in the Western Australian Government.
Born in Split, Croatia in 1958, Ljiljanna is believed to be the first Croatian born woman ever elected to a parliament outside of the Republic of Croatia.
She was educated at Midvale Primary School and Governor Stirling Senior High School and completed her tertiary education at the Curtin University of Technology where she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science majoring in Economics, a Post Graduate Diploma in Education and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education Administration at the Curtin School of Business.
Between 1980 and 1981 Ljiljanna worked as a high school teacher specialising in Aboriginal Education at Norseman District High School. From 1982 to 1984 she was employed as an Economics and History teacher at Kambalda and Northam Senior High Schools. In 1985 she was promoted to the position of Deputy Principal at Morawa District High School and in 1987 she transferred as Deputy Principal to Bullsbrook District High School.
In 1989 Ljiljanna was appointed Principal Education Officer at Joondalup District Education Office.
Between 1990 and 1993 she worked as a Senior Technical Consultant for a number of Ministers across a range of portfolios including Education, Employment and Training, Family, Community, Youth Justice and Disability Services.
From 1994 to 1996 Ljiljanna worked as a private consultant in education and training. In 1996 she was elected to the Legislative Council as a member for the East Metropolitan region. From 1997-1999 she was Shadow Minister for Public Sector Management and Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs and from 1999 - 2001 Shadow Minister for Public Sector Management, Higher Education and Employment and Training.
On the election of the Gallop Labor Government in February 2001, Ljiljanna served for three years as a Parliamentary Secretary across a range of portfolios before becoming the Minister for Local Government; Regional Development; Heritage; the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne and Goldfields - Esperance. During this time she also established the Western Australian Croatian Chamber of Commerce to promote the export of Australian products and expertise to the Republic of Croatia.
Following the 2005 election, Ljiljanna was appointed the Minister for Education and Training where she initiated an overhaul of the State's training system that saw the introduction of shorter, more flexible competency-based apprenticeships and a dramatic increase in the number of apprentices and trainees in training. Other achievements in education included improved standards, an increase in the school leaving age, introduction of learning allowances for parents of 16 and 17 year olds, improved computer facilities, new plain English report cards and a $1billion Capital Works program for new and better schools across the state.
In 2007, Ljiljanna was appointed Minister for Local Government; Racing and Gaming; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship; Government Enterprises; Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure; Goldfields-Esperance and Youth.
In this portfolio, she has actively driven a broad reform program including:
- A new proportional and preferential voting system for local government elections;
- New 'rules of conduct' for local government councillors to improve standards;
- Major generational liquor licensing reforms;
- Increased grants and tax cuts for the racing industry;
- Two new integrated service centres for new migrants;
- Mutualisation of the Government Employees Superannuation scheme, with the introduction of the choice of fund and a partial retirement option for members; and
- An overhaul of vehicle licensing, including new centres, more staff and improved service to customers.