I think the author is looking through rose coloured glasses.

Gillard's term to be seems to have a lot in common with that of Joan Kirner in Victoria.

Both governments were left wing dominated and associated with financial mismanagement, particularly high budget deficits that they promised to reduce but did not. Gillard's departing present to the people was a further unfunded spending spree (on disability support and Gonski education funding).

Kirner ended up being thumped in a big election defeat. Gillard was destined for the same but was overthrown by Rudd before that could happen.

Although I see the author is not exactly praising Gillard, but he is taking an unnecessarily upbeat view.

I searched the the article to find the significant tax reform he refers to.. tripling of the tax-free threshold does not count as significant.. a useful reform that could be instituted at minimal political cost, perhaps. The Gillard and Rudd government shied away from any significant tax reform, essentially leaving the system alone..

Bren,

"Both governments were left wing dominated and associated with financial mismanagement, particularly high budget deficits that they promised to reduce but did not." So all the parrots say.

Australia's budget deficits are neither high by international standards nor necessarily a sign of economic mismanagement.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-07/alberici-economic-comparisons/4672166

Obviously Patrick must be referring to left handed pundits only.

As bren says, most of the things the author is claiming as achievements are just pipe dreams, which in what appears to be the future economic conditions, are very unlikely to become so much as smoke, let alone fire. They will most likely end up like the L A W law promise of another labor PM.

Gillard will be remembered as perhaps the worst ever PM, but only the future & the full discovery of her stuff ups will tell if she has achieved even that. Whitlam may still hold the crown.

Of course, if given much more time Rudd should be able to beat both of them, so Gillard might be nothing more than a sorry incident.

Julia tried to fly too close to the sun and got burned. Severely.

The lesson for all of us is: don't accept any promotion which is beyond your level of competence.

Julia unraveled bit by bit over three years and she has the rest of her life to reflect upon this.

Few would envy her!

Political commentators have stated that:

"From day one after the 2010 election Julia Gillard has
had the blow torch applied. Her position as Prime Minister
has been described as "tainted" because she tapped Rudd
on the shoulder or as the Opposition keeps telling us
"stabbed" him in the back. This suggests she came to power
illegitimately. It ignores the fact that there was widespread
dissatisfaction over Rudd's leadership with the Labor Party
as polls began to slide. Gillard spoke to Rudd face-to-face
about her intention to challenge after being approached by
several concerned members of caucus. Rudd resigned and Julia
Gillard was elected unopposed by the Parliamentary caucus.
There was nothing illegitimate about the process. She became
leader because she gained the support of the Labor Party
caucus."

"The Coalition has had a campaign of destruction, involving
lies, fear mongering and unproven allegations.
We could all respect an Opposition leader who
played a clean game. Who challenged a government's policies
and pointed out their flaws, who provided alternative policies
that won broad support. Mr Abbott has not played that kind
of game. And of course he's been aided by the MSM
(Main-Stream-Media), shock jocks, and even comedy shows."

We're now being told that -
"Nasty, negative, nay saying, Abbott, has become "nice" Abbott
in the dark blue suit, white shirt, blue tie. This should be
a WTF moment. Can this chameleon be trusted?"

In the meantime the former PM has soldiered on, introducing
some world first legislation and social reforms - including
disability care, carbon pricing, and a Royal Commission
into Institutional abuse, to name just a few. History will
judge Julia Gillard well.

Mr Abbott has to do more than just keep breathing to
become the next Prime Minister. If Mr Abbott believes he leads
the next government-in-waiting then it is incumbent on him
to enunciate the policies and the vision that drives them.
Clearly, as many have pointed out, there has been huge
advantages while in Opposition in offering a small target
to Labor, but to carry that strategy any further now is to
treat voters with contempt.

Lexi, <Leave Julia alooonnne. She did everything right. It wasn't her fault. It was the fault of the 'mens' and MSM (that's a newie! LOL) and Rudd and everyone. Can't you see she is a womyn and womyn are wonderful? It's all THEM, THEIR fault. Why can't they just leave Julia alooonnne?' Blub, blub, red eyes, wrings hands>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

I agree with Patrick that Julia, viewed from a distance, will have a great legacy.

Viewed from Mars, this will be so. Viewed from the extreme edge of the universe, perhaps it will look even better!

Patrick, give up on those funny cigarettes.

...Julia who? ? ?

David G is right.

Julia Gillard is typical of the educated career feminists who have taken on politics for their daily bread. She just didn't have what it takes, the ability and skills. The skill sets are completely different. As well, despite her years she always lacked broad life experience.

True, she has made a killing out of politics what with retiring in middle age and copping the beaut $$super and $$benefits of PM. That is not a bad outcome for her and she should get a helping hand into speaking roles and a guvvy job from the Grrls network, Emily's List.

Julia helped herself and careerist educated middle class women like her. But she always denied the common transitions that women choose and go through in life and consequently if she ever helped the ordinary women in the street it was definitely more by accident than by design. Of course Julia and feminists like her never intend to share what they regard as the mundane lives of women who are not inclined to put career and material things first in life.

Parliament has always had too many lawyers. Julia was one of them.

onthebeach,

This from a man whose posts continue with factual errors
and misrepresentation. Take a course in "Lateral Thinking 101."
It may help.

So may the following link in setting the record straight on
Julia Gillard:

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/how-the-pms-gender-took-over-the-agenda-20130624-2oson.html

About the Author states:

"Patrick Baume is a Media Analyst who blogs on politics and sport..."

Patrick can I suggest you stick to sport

Geoff

It would be as well to suspend judgment until the results of the Victorian police investigation into the AWU scandal is completed. Should the lady in question be charged as solicitor to both Bruce Wilson and the AWU, then we must wait further for the decision of the courts.

The history writtten by labour barnacles in the leftist dominated media will rate Julia a better PM than Chifley.

Real historians will be objective and will colour their history with the written and oral contemperatenous commentaries of her peers. And that won't be at all flattering.

It will indeed be interesting to see how history
will judge Julia Gillard. The historian can establish
that an act took place on a certain day, but this, by
historical standards constitutes only chronology.
The moment that the historian begins to look critically
at circumstances, context, or any other considerations,
the product becomes unacceptable for one or another
camp of readers.
Interesting times ahead.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/how-the-pms-gender-took-over-the-agenda-20130624-2oson.html

http://voicelessvictim.wordpress.com/2013/06/27/julia-gillards-legacy-lives-on-in-historic-royal-commission/

One can only wonder whether Mr Abbott would have had the courage to
initiate the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in institutional
settings due to his close religious affiliations, especially with
Cardinal Pell? The former PM did take this responsibility - and that's
quite a legacy in itself.

The real question is whether Gillard did anything that couldn't or wouldn't have been done by any halfway competent person in the same position. You don't get points for doing the obvious. But you DO lose points for NOT doing the obvious -- like holding a Republic referendum, legalising gay marriage and holding off on a carbon tax until there was actual evidence that it would do anyone any good whatsoever.

The irony is that Gillard actually did govern well - good cabinet process and consultation, and a well managed minority government that delivered on important reforms: but lousy communications and let down by her media advisers. Rudd is an egomaniac, can't govern for nuts but somehow connects with the community. Go figure. Hopefully history will teat Julia Gillard kindly and fairly.

her legacy was being stabbed by the sisterhood after serving less than a term. Says more about the sisterhood than anything else. Very few principles but much rhetoric about their superiority. Hopefully the Liberals will promote on ability rather than the failed quota system.

Gillard's legacy
Patrick Baume,
What's the idea of reminding us of that dreadful period in the history of Australia ? Do you get some perverse sense of satisfaction out of it ?

runner,

Gender equality is not guaranteed simply by the
presence of women in parliament. It also depends
on a parliament's policies and infrastructure.

"gender equality" will be real when we have a female muslim in parliament; without a burqa!

Dear cohenite,

Australia has a secular government and no
official or state religion. However you
do raise a valid point. Our governments
should treat all citizens as equal
regardless of religion (or lack of it).

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1754532/First-Muslim-woman-to-enter-Parliament

You miss the point Lexi; the 'election', actually replacement, of the muslim lady is a measure of the tolerance and strength of the Western democratic model. It reflects nothing on the nature and character of islam or its adherents.

One needs to look at islam nations and consider how their idea of democracy measures up. Start with Turkey which, despite the brilliance of Ataturk, is now descending down the Islamic black hole.

Dear cohenite,

We're not discussing religion on this thread.
I responded to runner's post about women in the
Australian Parliament and his reference to the
Liberal Party. I was surprised
by your response and reference specifically to Muslim women -
but conceded that you had raised a valid point. However
lets stick to the topic of this article and not divert it.
If you want to discuss the topic of Islamic fundamentalism -
why don't you start your own discussion on the topic in the
General Discussion Section of this forum. I'm sure
it will prove popular.

Don't be obtuse Lexi; Gillard's heritage was a faux discussion about misogyny.

it was faux because it did not cover islam What's more misogynistic than islam?

You see, I thought Gillard was flat-track bully, like all feminists; they can rail against the evil men in the West because there are no consequences.

Go to Saudi Arabia and rattle a few placards and liberate your breasts there and see how your anti-misogynistic crusade goes.

If you go, take Gillard with you.

Would they want Galah'd?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI7tZDW4zQM&feature=player_embedded

Dear cohenite,

I thought that we were discussing the former
PM's legacy.

If you want to discuss gender though - the
following link may be of interest:

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/how-the-pms-gender-took-over-the-agenda-20130624-2oson.html

the former
PM's legacy.
Lexi,
That is her legacy !

I wonder what our children and grandchildren will think of Gillard's legacy in 20 years when they are still paying off the debt she has saddled Australia with ?.

Dear eyeinthesky,

They'll hopefully be educated thanks to her
legacy, and have jobs, again thanks to her
legacy, and their future will be looking
exceptionally bright - thanks to her legacy.
BTW: - our deficit is the smallest in the
industrialised world - and its thanks to
that our economy survived and is the envy of
the world. AAA gold rating and all that.
However, they may have quite a lot to say
should the Coalition get in - and we go
down the path of severe cuts and neglect of
education, health, and
our infrastructure and asset base - as we
did under Mr Howard. It then will take decades
to again fix the problems. But hopefully your
youngsters will be intelligent enough
to know who's really to blame for the
neglect and these woes.

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