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The Forum > Article Comments > Julia Gillard in power > Comments

Julia Gillard in power : Comments

By Susan Hawthorne, published 12/7/2010

Australia's first woman Prime Minister is unusual in more ways than one: feminists are cautiously optimistic.

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She lost me when she didn't can internet censorship and started playing "me too" on refugees so desperate they come here by boat. Also hearing the senseless "we have to fight in Afghanistan so as not to give the terrorists a safe refuge" is another scripted "line" that makes no sense in the real world. I hear no economic nor social policy changes that make the change in leadership look significant.
Looks like different puppet, same puppet master.
Posted by Ozandy, Monday, 12 July 2010 9:30:32 AM
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I think it's extremely unfortunate that the first female prime minister came to power in this way.

While it's true that she followed the change of leadership procedures, it's also true that when in government the party is changing more than its leader: it's changing the prime minister as well.

This role is far more complex and significant than that of merely party leader. Changing the prime minister has far more repercussion. The country isn't shocked out of its socks when an opposition leader is taken down.

The events have tainted Gillard's ascension to the top job for this voter. I don't believe it's morally and ethically acceptable for the PM to be dumped by party factions and unelected union leaders, even if it is procedurally correct.

The last campaign was run on Kevin 07. We did act as if we were involved in a presidential campaign, even though, black letter, we weren't.

It isn't good enough for the major parties to try and have it both ways - get back in power on the strength of their leader, then assert the party's right to change that leader after we've given them our votes because of that leader. We put him in. We should take him out.

There are more important considerations than feminism. And feminists have to consider the morality of these events before getting wildly excited about the first female prime minister.

Gillard will probably be re-elected. I bet the Rudd government would have been re-elected as well, the poll figures today aren't that much different.

At what cost, however? The precedent has been set to get rid of PMs whenever the party factions and unelected union leaders decide that's what's going to happen. That's democracy?

I for one am not delighted that it's been a woman who's central to the setting of precedents such as this one.
Posted by briar rose, Monday, 12 July 2010 9:37:55 AM
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Isn't time we got over this male/female bit? Is it of any importance?
I would happily settle for politicians, of either sex, who told the truth.
Posted by Daviy, Monday, 12 July 2010 10:02:09 AM
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You are right, Daviy. The desire for power is not a gendered desire -

and the desire for power always trumps the desire for truth.

The only difference we've seen so far is an extraordinarily accomplished manipulation of language. This is then employed to conceal the reality that we can expect little policy change from the first female PM.

Feminists need to start talking about how in this country women get a grab at the most powerful political jobs only when the situation's perceived as desperate. Then we think that's some kind of achievement for women. How brainwashed are we?

By the way, I'm not sure about the red-head thing. I see darker roots showing down the centre part.
Posted by briar rose, Monday, 12 July 2010 10:29:03 AM
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I don’t exactly know what is the anti-discrimination policy of the Victoria University, Melbourne, but most universities define discrimination within their policies as follows:

“discrimination is any practice which makes distinctions between individuals or groups so as to disadvantage some and to advantage others, on the basis of their status (for example sex or race) or private life (for example, religious or political conviction), or the characteristics generally attributed to persons of that status or private life."

If this is also the policy of the Victoria University then the author breaks this policy on several counts by mentioning the Prime Minister’s race, gender, religion and private life.

Why do universities have these policies when they are so often disregarded by their staff?
Posted by vanna, Monday, 12 July 2010 10:52:29 AM
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I looked carefully for any mention of feminists. None did I find.

Is there a secret code in the article that only feminists can access? Does the Sisterhood converse in riddles these days? Is the Sisterhood defunct?

I'm happy with Julia as a person and as my Prime Minister. Surely that should be enough for everyone!
Posted by David G, Monday, 12 July 2010 11:59:02 AM
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As regards Asylum Seekers Julia should have gone for broke, taking a lesson from Hawk's Vietnamese effort, when he risked allowing possible Viet Commies into Australia as well as non-Commies.

On 'Paul Murray Live' a woman talked about the above, and how right now pretty well all have become good Aussie citizens.

Further, an interesting article by William Dalrymple in the latest Guardian underlies the West's increasing irrelevance in Afghanistan.

Dalrymple believes that more regional players such as India and Pakistan could now sort things out less warlike than big Western powers.

From a historians point of view, could certainly be less murderous than unmanned missiles, only adding to the hatred from the other side.
Posted by bushbred, Monday, 12 July 2010 12:41:53 PM
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At least the Labor Party does things cleanly and swiftly. Remember how Howard when suggested he should step down stated he would do so "when the party wanted me to do so" and when they did he stubbornly dug in his toes and asked Janet and the family who said stay - and look what haoppened to him! Funny how he does not learn as he is adopting the same stubborn attitude when not wanted by the International Cricket Organisation- he is not withdrawing his application.
Julia Gillard and the 'Party' recognised that Rudd was going nowhere after dumping the ETS leglislation. His untenable position was discussed and he graciously stepped back
Posted by gazzaboy, Monday, 12 July 2010 1:38:30 PM
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briar rose given what appears to be a widely held view that Rudd was unlikely to win the election and what appears to be a lack of consultation with cabinet colleges I'd be interested to see what course you think Labor should have taken assuming that they were unwilling to have them lead them in the next term and did not want to loose the election.

In real terms it's unlikely that they could go to the election with him as leader but making it clear that he would not be leader after the election.

It's expected that we will have an election within the next couple of months so Rudd got to serve most of the term as PM and voters won't have a PM who was not the leader on the campaign for long. Nor are we likely to see a raft of new policies implemented in that time which were not part of the campaign platform (or started while Rudd was leader).

I didn't vote for Rudd (nor Labor) so I may be missing some of the angst of those who believed in Keven07 but I struggle to see an alternative approach that met the needs of the situation.

As for the article, "If she was a male it would just be seen as the usual changing of the guard." - so just how often have male first term prime ministers been dumped (in the parties first term in office as well)?

Whilst I think Labor acted sensibly to get Kevin out of the PM's chair I think that the authors assertion does not do justice to just how different this was to the normal changing of the guard.

R0bert
Posted by R0bert, Monday, 12 July 2010 5:32:30 PM
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RObert, in fact the last Newspoll conducted before Rudd went indicated that the ALP would win the next election, albeit by the skin of its teeth.

Rudd was also set to negotiate with the miners the following week , a negotiation Gillard took credit for after they'd chucked him out.

Gillard is clearly more of a team player, however we have no reason to believe that there will be any great change in ALP policies, whether they have a team player in charge or not.

I strongly object to the incumbent Prime Minister of this country being chucked out by non elected union officials and party factions.

I would just as strongly object to a coalition PM being chucked out by powerful corporate interests.

If the ALP could not get on with their elected leader, the leader who took them back into government after years in the wilderness, then they should have all got relationship counselling. Not getting along with the PM is not a good enough reason to chuck him or her out. What are they, terrified children?

Deal with it, people. Nobody else gets to chuck out the boss if everybody hates him.

The precedent is set. Gillard better watch her back. It's a crazy system if we can't be assured that a PM is going to see out a term. PMs have a big role, nationally and internationally, it's a bad look to chuck them out willy nilly without consulting the punters.
Posted by briar rose, Monday, 12 July 2010 6:24:47 PM
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With Julia Gillard's Easter Island plan gone wrong reckon she could ask Bob Hawke what to do.

Reckon he might suggest WA Kimberly area as a station even just for the time being.

Even to make it permanent being directly close to Christmas Island which could be still kept for the more undesirable.

Though the idea sounds unnaceptable surely it wouldn't do much harm to try it out.

Just watched Bob on TV giving thanks for his book, etc, etc, certainly hasn't lost any of the old charm, especially concerning politics, of course.

Regards, BB, formerly of Buntine WA.
Posted by bushbred, Monday, 12 July 2010 7:33:46 PM
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briar rose, when if ever could a party dispense with a leader who they considered was not doing the job they were elected to do?

Would it have been acceptable for the Libs to have given Howard his marching orders given that the time never seemed to be right for him? The issue of how long he would serve was an issue at most elections, Costello was criticised for not having the gut's to challenge him.

Rudd's negotiations did not get finished so we will never know how they would have gone. At best for Rudd a compromise would have looked like making the best of a mess of his own making whereas for Gillard it looks like her cleaning up Rudd's mess. Likewise Rudd and Abbott as leaders in an election is a different ballgame to Gillard and Abbott, we will never know how that campaign would have gone but it was looking risky for Labor. Abbott against an arrogant nerd looked effective, the same tactics against Gillard may look like bullying.

I don't like the backroom crowd running things either but those others involved in the party also have a stake in the party, if they believe that the leader is doing bad job should they have to put up with that leader until they are out of power or the leader decides that they have had enough?

There is a few questions in that lot's, I'm not really trying to seek answers individually, rather to understand what you think that the alternatives are.

R0bert
Posted by R0bert, Monday, 12 July 2010 8:03:03 PM
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Robert,
I would like to see a broader definition of what is "the entrenched masculine culture of contemporary politics" (as written by the author), to see if it would pass an anti-discrimination policy.
Posted by vanna, Monday, 12 July 2010 8:44:34 PM
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She has made backflipping on all labor commitments an election winning policy.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Tuesday, 13 July 2010 5:27:53 AM
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R0bert, the non elected unionists and party factions got rid of Rudd because they considered he couldn't win this next election.

Opinion polls showed that he would, even though his personal popularity had slumped.

These factions had history with Rudd - he refused to be influenced by them in his choice of cabinet. He shut them out. Course they were looking to get rid of him and install a more co-operative PM who will look out for their interests.

I don't consider a Prime Minister should be dumped by the party unless he or she has committed some grave offense.

Just not liking their management style isn't enough reason.

A vote for the ALP this time is a vote for the power of factions and non elected unionists to determine who the PM will be.
Posted by briar rose, Tuesday, 13 July 2010 9:24:50 AM
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Might apologise once again for miss-using a questionaire.

Suggest right now it is just a waste of time arguing over spilt milk.

Gillard is in unfortunately, so let's do the best we can with her.

Right now if we don't make a quick fix concerning Asylum Seekers, Gillard mght easily lose the `election.

Will say again that a temporary arrangement to use WA Kimberley as a temporary dumping ground, especially with Christmas Island so close, is what Bob Hawke would suggest.

Indeed, since I have been with our Group, would say that there is much too much time wasted on sniping each other, rather than on positional or positive planning.
Posted by bushbred, Tuesday, 13 July 2010 10:21:50 AM
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Ladies & Gentlemen, you all seem to be suffering from short term memory loss. Repeatedly over the last 10 or 15 years, these "Polls" have been way off the mark when it came to election day.

Consider the facts.

1, many are done by News Ltd (right leaning), or Fairfax (left leaning) Who both clearly have hidden agendas their alleged journalist's push.

2, many are done by the parties themselves along with alleged focus groups, then "leaked" to the media. Often the Red/green/getup/labour Communist Coalition will leak disastrous "internal polling" results in the lead up to an election/by election, to scare disgruntled former supporters back to the fold.

3, we all know that almost all Politicians, Bureaucrooks, Journalists & Academics are lying, cheating, thieving, corrupt, criminal scum, in the business of "Aiding & Abetting" the drug trade & Paedophilia.

4, The "Pundits" from the Canberra Press Gallery have also been way off, lately too, because they are almost all, pushing their barrow.

I move in a wide variety of social circles & talk to everybody, everywhere i go & have been getting strong negative reactions, more than 2 to 1 against Gillard. http://ninemsn.com.au/ online poll shortly after the, "Dismissal" showed over 300,000 votes, more than 2 to 1 against voting for Gillard as PM at the next election.

When i see large sample, online polling matching exactly what everybody "on the street" is telling me, i know what i am more inclined to believe?

The "Way" in which the Red/green/getup/labour/Communist Coalition Federal Government, "Lost its Way" is identical to the same "Way" in which they all, "Lost Their Way" in all states, territories & local Governments as well.

Why else was the "Ruddbot's" fall in popularity, so spectacular?

The Formerly Silent Majority has been waking up to the Internet & using it.

Why else did "Comrade Conroy" want to censor sites like this one?

Try these.

http://www.henrymakow.com/new_aussie_pm_is_communist_les.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/7926534/pm-has-egg-thrown-at-her-in-perth

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6418456/Labour-wanted-mass-immigration-to-make-UK-more-multicultural-says-former-adviser.html

http://www.henrymakow.com/australian_satanist_exposes_wo.html

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rudd-government-spends-45m-at-queensland-schools-on-closure-hit-list/story-e6freoof-1225876672070

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8630135369495797236#

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/01/2914561.htm

This sociopsycopath propaganda/spin/dogma machine then says "i am not PC".

How stupid do you think we are Jooolia?
Posted by Formersnag, Tuesday, 13 July 2010 3:47:52 PM
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>>>>>>"3, we all know that almost all Politicians, Bureaucrooks, Journalists & Academics are lying, cheating, thieving, corrupt, criminal scum, in the business of "Aiding & Abetting" the drug trade & Paedophilia."<<<<<<<<

I'll bet the PM didn't endorse THIS approach to OLO debating!!

Now that's one hell of an ethos!
Posted by Ginx, Tuesday, 13 July 2010 6:47:45 PM
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There's a great new song that's a piss-take of a song by The Herd called The King is Dead, circa 2007.
Good song for Julia.
You can view the parody on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ70opdCazI
Posted by gary11, Friday, 16 July 2010 12:20:17 AM
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