Jaala Pulford

Pulford grew up in Castlemaine and attended Bendigo Senior Secondary College.[1] She worked as an Organiser for the National Union of Workers Victorian Branch between 1994 and 2006.[1]

Pulford has a Bachelor of Applied Management from University of Ballarat[1] and has since completed a Masters of Public Policy at Deakin University.

Pulford has held a number of roles within the ALP, including State and National Conference delegate, Junior Vice-President of the Victorian Branch, National Labor Women's Network secretary, and President of the ALP Women's Policy Committee.[1]

In November 2006, she was elected, at the age of 32, as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council, representing the Western Victoria Region. As a member of the Brumby Government, she served as Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations (August 2007 – January 2010) and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional and Rural Development, Industry and Trade (January – November 2010).[1]

Following the Labor government's loss at the 2010 state election, Pulford was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition (Legislative Council) and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional and Rural Development.[1]

On 4 December 2014, Pulford was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional Development and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council as part of the Labor Government led by Daniel Andrews.[2] She was Victoria's first female Agriculture Minister, and oversaw significant reform, including the establishment of Regional Partnerships and a medicinal cannabis industry, the mandatory electronic tagging of sheep, Victoria's first digital agriculture program, greater animal welfare protection, and attracting recreational fishers to Victoria.

On 30 November 2018, Pulford was appointed Minister for Roads, Road Safety and the TAC, and Fishing and Boating in the re-elected Andrews Government.[3]

Pulford is married with a son and lives in Ballarat. Her daughter Sinead died of cancer in 2014, aged 13.[4]

• www.jaalapulford.com.au
• Parliamentary voting record of Jaala Pulford at Victorian Parliament Tracker