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Julia Irwin

b. 1951

Australian politician

Politician Bank officer
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About Julia Irwin

Born 1951. Julia Irwin is an Australian politician and bank officer.

Julia Claire Irwin (; born 8 November 1951) is a former Australian politician. She represented the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2010, holding the New South Wales seat of Fowler.

Early life Irwin was born in Sydney on 8 November 1951. Her father Alan Welsh served on the Parramatta City Council and her mother Lois Welsh was the secretary of the New South Wales Labor Women's Committee. She joined the ALP at the age of 15 and began her involvement in the labour movement with the Sheet Metal Working Industrial Union. She was also involved in Young Labor where she met her future husband Geoff Irwin.

In 1975, Irwin became the electorate secretary to Jack Ferguson, who became the Deputy Premier of New South Wales the following year. She later worked as a staffer for Richard Klugman, Ross Free, and Ted Grace. After criticism from Jewish groups and by members of both the Liberal and Labor parties, she issued an apology for her "offensive" language.

In October 2008 Irwin publicly criticised the Rudd Government's education policy, accusing it of "locking in the Coalition's favouritism of private schools".

Irwin announced in September 2009 that she would not recontest her seat at the 2010 federal election.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Positions held
Member of the Australian House of Representatives
Also known as
Julia Claire Irwin

Family & relationships

Spouse
Geoff Irwin

People in Julia Irwin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Julia Irwin's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Julia Irwin?

Australian politician

When was Julia Irwin born?

Julia Irwin was born on 8 November 1951 in Sydney.

What is Julia Irwin's occupation?

Julia Irwin is a politician and bank officer.

What nationality is Julia Irwin?

Julia Irwin is Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Julia Irwin

· Wikidata: Q6306482

· DBpedia: Julia Irwin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Julia Irwin. https://biography.guide/julia-irwin/

MLA: "Julia Irwin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/julia-irwin/.

Chicago: "Julia Irwin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/julia-irwin/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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