Gail Gago

Gago was born in Mooroopna, Victoria, and completed her secondary education at Shepparton High School. After high school, Gago studied at Phillip Institute of Technology and the Austin Hospital where she graduated as a registered nurse, later completing a Bachelor of Science (Honours) at Monash University, majoring in psychology.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

In 1987, Gago and her husband Peter moved to South Australia, where she worked as a nurse at Salisbury Private Hospital for two years. In 1988 Gago started working with the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) for 12 years, first as an organiser, later becoming assistant secretary and branch secretary.{{cite news|last=Mayne|first=Stephen|title=Tracking the unionists in parliament|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2006/01/25/tracking-the-unionists-in-parliament/|access-date=8 October 2017|newspaper=Crikey|date=25 January 2006}} As a member of the ANF, Gago was part of many campaigns to improve patient care, access to health services, wages and conditions for workers. She has participated in and contributed to a range of state and federal health and industrial relations forums.

Gago has held membership of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party since 1991, contributing to policy committees and serving as state convention delegate (proxy), state executive member and national conference attendee. Gago is from the Labor Left faction.{{cite news|author=Brad Crouch|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/peter-and-gail-gago-south-australia8217s-power-couple/story-e6frea83-1226667859182|title=Peter and Gail Gago - South Australia's power couple|work=The Advertiser|place=South Australia|date=21 June 2013|access-date=8 October 2017}}

Gago was elected to the Legislative Council from first position on the Labor ticket at the 2002 election and from second position on the Labor ticket at the 2010 election. After the resignation from Cabinet of Bernard Finnigan, Gago became acting Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council. She was also the only Minister in the Upper House.{{cite news|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gago-to-go-solo-as-upper-house-minister-20110427-1dw26.html|author=Tim Dornin|title=Gago to go solo as upper house minister: AAP|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2011|access-date=8 October 2017}} On 17 May 2011, the Labor Caucus elected Gago the state's first woman leader of the Legislative Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/labor-mlc-gail-gago-creates-political-history/story-fn6bqpju-1226057677623|title=Gail Gago creates political history|work=The Advertiser|author=Greg Kelton|date=18 May 2011|access-date=8 October 2017}} Gago was also the state's first female Acting Premier of South Australia.

Following the second term election of the Labor government in March 2006, Gago was appointed Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health. On 24 July 2008, Gago was appointed Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises and Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy. On 8 February 2011, Gago was appointed Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister for Government Enterprises. On 21 April 2011, Gago was appointed Minister for Gambling. On 21 October 2011, Gago was appointed Minister for Agriculture Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism and Minister for the Status of Women. On 21 January 2013, Gago was appointed Minister for Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women and Minister for State/Local Government Relations.{{cite web|url=http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/index.php/gail-gago-mlc|title=Gail Gago MLC|work=Government of South Australia|place=South Australia|access-date=23 March 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603094615/http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/index.php/gail-gago-mlc|archivedate=3 June 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Following the 2014 election, Gago was appointed Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, and Minister for Business Services and Consumers in the Weatherill Labor cabinet.

Gago announced her resignation from cabinet on 15 January 2016, citing cabinet renewal.{{cite news|url=http://indaily.com.au/news/local/2016/01/15/weatherills-reshuffle-right-to-claim-both-vacancies/|title=Weatherill's reshuffle: Right to claim both vacancies|author=Tom Richardson|work=InDaily|date=15 January 2016|access-date=8 October 2017}} Gago also announced that she would be retiring from parliament as of the 2018 election.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-15/gail-gago-resigns-from-sa-cabinet-jay-weatherill/7090126|title=Gail Gago resigns as South Australian employment minister|publisher=ABC|date=14 January 2016|access-date=8 October 2017}}

Gago is married to Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago. She is also the sister of former Victorian state Labor member Kaye Darveniza.Parliament of Victoria Hansard [http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/downloadhansard/pdf/Council/Spring%201999/Council%20Parlynet%20Extract%2010%20November%201999%20from%20Book%202.pdf] 11 November 1999, p137.

An advocate for healthy living, Gago's interests include bushwalking and running.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite SA-parl |pid=1821 |name=Gago, Gail |former=yes |access-date=19 August 2022}}
• [http://sa.alp.org.au/alp/state-mps/gail-gago-mlc Parliamentary Profile: SA Labor website]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|au-sa}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Trevor Crothers
Legh Davis
Trevor Griffin
Jamie Irwin
Carolyn Pickles}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the South Australian Legislative Council|years=2002{{ndash}}present|alongside=Multiple Members}}

{{s-inc}}

|-

{{s-off}}

|-

{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Jennifer Rankine}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for the Status of Women|years=2008{{ndash}}2016}}

{{s-aft|after=Zoe Bettison}}

|-

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for State / Local Government Relations|years=2008{{ndash}}2011}}

{{s-aft|after=Bernard Finnigan}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Bernard Finnigan}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Government of South Australia#Department for Families and Communities|Minister for Gambling

]]|years=2008{{ndash}}2011}}

{{s-aft|after=Ian Hunter|as=Minister for Social Inclusion}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Jane Lomax-Smith}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Government of South Australia#Department of the Premier and Cabinet|Minister for City of Adelaide

]]|years=2010{{ndash}}2011}}

{{s-aft|after=John Rau|as=Minister for Urban Development, Planning and the City of Adelaide}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Mike Rann|as=Premier of South Australia}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Public Sector Management|years=2011}}

{{s-aft|after=Michael O'Brien|as=Minister for the Public Sector}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=John Rau}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Tourism|years=2011{{ndash}}2013}}

{{s-aft|rows=3|after=Leon Bignell}}

|-

{{s-bef|rows=3|before=Michael O'Brien}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries|years=2011{{ndash}}2014}}

|-

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Forests|years=2011{{spaced ndash}}2014}}

|-

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Regional Development|years=2011{{ndash}}2014}}

{{s-aft|after=Geoff Brock}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Bernard Finnigan}}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Government in the South Australian Legislative Council|years=2011{{ndash}}2016}}

{{s-aft|after=Kyam Maher}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Russell Wortley}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for State / Local Government Relations|years=2013{{ndash}}2014}}

{{s-aft|after=Geoff Brock|as=Minister for Local Government}}

|-

{{s-bef|rows=3|before=Grace Portolesi}}

{{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills|years=2014{{ndash}}2016}}

{{s-aft|after=Kyam Maher|as=Minister for Employment}}

|-

{{s-aft|after=Susan Close|as=Minister for Higher Education and Skills}}

|-

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Science and Information Economy|years=2014{{ndash}}2016 }}

{{s-aft|after=Kyam Maher}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=John Rau}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Business Services and Consumers|years=2014{{ndash}}2016}}

{{s-aft|after=John Rau|as=Minister for Consumer and Business Services}}

{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gago, Gail}}

Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the South Australian Legislative Council

Category:Australian trade unionists

Category:Australian women trade unionists

Category:Monash University alumni

Category:Labor Left politicians

Category:21st-century Australian politicians

Category:21st-century Australian women politicians

Category:Women members of the South Australian Legislative Council