All par for the feminisation of society.
Time to buy shares in the Amazon jungle and refine the art of piranha fishing using men for bait.

Men are born to be hopeless suckers around women. Pathetic.

Dan

ah, the 2022 election. Just another example of a major political party waiting for the public to tire of the current government.

Australia is indeed really insignificant in the world of politics, but thankfully one with powerful allies as we bicker amongst ourselves about less important issues like blaming gender or the greens for our current woes.

But the Libs are indeed losing on both issues, gender and the environment

As always, the people, no matter how gormless, will decide; and governments lose, oppositions do not win: particularly ones like the Albanese opposition.If they do form government, it will be like the Bradbury Olympic skating medal because the other contestants all fell over - according to one wit. And there are some interesting options for voters this time.

Chris L.

Only yesterday I unearthed the startling statistic which if true, puts the great divide between the poor hapless voter and the ruling Political elite into a perfect perspective.

The percentage of people sic that are actual members of the Liberal party is 0.29% of the population.

I didn’t even bother at that point to unearth the same statistic for the Labour Party, but would imagine it to be slightly more on traditional grounds of its history.

Do you believe following from that that the balance of the 99.0% of those like myself give a tinkers damn about women in politics.
Well yes I do; because I like many around me continue to be traumatised with the thought of the historical Julia Gillard.

Dan

Dan, I think quite a lot of the 99% would care about gender issues.

Besides my own many imperfections with my partner and daughter, I have no issue with gender issues (albeit some are topics are over the top for me), and do not share any fear that any Western societies will be weakened by female leaders or any issue related to sexuality.

BTW, I would rate Gillard above Rudd, Abbott and Morrison, but many may disagree with my opinion.

CL

Joan of Arc is an interesting addition to female politicians.
She was directly responsible for the rout of the British from France which ended the hundred year war.

Interestingly though she achieved the aim by rallying a demoralised French army with religious symbolism.
A girl from the back-blocks. I imagine something like maybe; Jacquiline Louise Lambie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqui_Lambie) or even Pauline Hanson.

Now both of them ooze the true female grit which men can admire; and maybe curl up in their tent on the front line and dream about..wink.

Dan.

Not sure that this is good analysis, Graham. Although you make some interesting points worthy of consideration. But, I believe, at the end of the day, policies will decide who wins the next election. As for the "mean girls" they are very effective speakers able to cut through with their messages.

And the Morrison government needs something other than the unfortunate death of a "labor" female warrior to hose this one down? And needs good candidates in the contest as opposed to the usual (bought and paid for?) yes men/party hacks?

Policies that will resonate are energy and its current costs, child care, housing affordability, and clever, targeted defense spending. If the Chinese want military bases in missile range of Brisbane and our nuclear submarine base?

Then we need to buy some nuclear tipped missiles with enough range and speed to hit that base with unstoppable reprisal should we need to!

And we need to put nuclear power on the table as a must do ASAP, given current international situations! Nuclear power, if proposed will wedge labor as nothing else could! And the majority of clear-headed Aussies are ready for it!
Alan B.

Will the term "Mean Girls" that's being bandied
about really shape the next election?

I doubt it.

Politicians routinely dismiss allegations
made by women by painting the allegations as just the
"cost of doing politics" and as something that happens
to men just as much.

The recent accusations against Labor is merely a diversion
by the Coalition with the death of Kimberley Kitching.
If the shoe was on the other foot Labor would also pursue
the matter with equal gusto. That's the way the game is
played. Unfortunately.

Bullying claims by female Liberal MPs have been routinely
dismissed by colleagues in the past. Julia Banks, Julie Bishop,
Linda Reynolds, Lucy Gichuhi - are some names that spring to
mind.

Parliament is a male dominated space and of course with the
increased number of women entering politics things need to
change. But I doubt if it will have much of an effect on the
upcoming election.
Currently there are other priorities.

Dan. Joan of Arc was rewarded for her role as the Saviour of France by being burnt at the stake! Why? Because the Leader of then France was threatened by her forthright opinions, her foresight and its chilling prophetic accuracy!
Alan B.

You've got to be kidding Alan. Policies, what is that.

90% of voters wouldn't have a clue what policies belong to which party, if they are even aware of what policies are floating around.

They will know about higher child care subsidies, but most won't be sure who is offering them.

You may spend hours studying politics, but most only think about it as they curse the requirement they go & vote.

Alan B

That’s a dream Alan. Joan was burned at the stake (along with a black cat which was the tradition): And the bunee’s were the Roman Catholics who accused her of Paganism.

That was probably true to some extent, since it was Paganism the French were fond of, especially among the clod hopper class from which she came.

Or was she the Kings bastard-child as some historians believe? And that was the reason of her acceptance by the Nobility?

Anyway, not a bad achievement for a girl who died at nineteen. let’s have a few girls in our Parliament of equal guts.

Dan.

Foxy.

I agree that politics is a "male dominated space".

If Kitching was a male, would the government now be bleating about "mean boys" or would it be assumed to be just the nature of politics?

The attempted suicides of at least two male politicians (Nick Sherry and John Brogden) over the years due to the pressure of the job passed with little comment at the time but it's now the eve of an election and the government is desperate to get some traction against Albanese in any way they can.

"If Kitching was a male, would the government now be bleating about "mean boys" or would it be assumed to be just the nature of politics?"

Again, it needs to be remembered that the actual bleating all originally came from within the ALP in general and the women and her supporters specifically.

The government is merely twisting the knife that was wielded by those within the ALP. But, some (no names mind you) are adept at forgetting that which they don't want to be true and replacing it with fantasy.

It's true that if Kitching was a bloke then none of this would have happened. That's because a male Kitching wouldn't have been whining about all those bullies not letting me play on their team.

Dear Rache,

Bullying claims by female Liberal MPs have been
routinely dismissed by colleagues who have painted
the allegations made by painting it all as just
the "cost of doing politics." The Kitching case has
been championed by the Coalition and the Murdoch
Press - . It a case of Pot. kettle, black.

People are weaponizing her death and can't see why
that's awful. No causal link has been established for
her death. Nor is it likely to be.

It's interesting to remember that the concept of "Mean Girls" came from the Hebrew psychologist and the movie of the same name- many prominent psychologists are Hebrew- Edwin Bernays brought many psychologists over from Europe apparently when he invented US consumer culture. To untie the situations and motivations behind the vested interests of psychology and the Hebrew's and women and men is something for another time. It's interesting that in these situations there are those that present their narrow self serving views as objective and authoritative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_Girls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Wiseman

If a foreign power wants to dominate a culture it stands to reason that they would want to weaken it- and everyone wants more power.

In the movie it's said that "women shouldn't attack each other and the real battle is between men and women"- perhaps men and women both should work together for a higher goal similar to Ayn Rand's productivity is being the measure of the ability to sustain life. If women can't do things to sustain life then at least they should support those that do. It seems in history women have been the ones to create and nurture life- men have been the ones to sustain it by protecting and hunting. Perhaps Rosalind Wiseman wants to be one to control the creation and distribution of the produce by causing conflict between women and men.

Perhaps Rosalind Wiseman should just focus on being productive rather than controlling production