Err... I can see absolutely no change for the better at all.

Gillard is as big a dunce as ever. No benefit has come from her election, other than some people bleat about having a female PM and that being 'a good thing'.

But they'd say that if Julie Bishop was the PM too, so there is no real benefit to the gender change as far as I can see.

Someone mentioned Doug Cameron. Yes, well, he's not exactly at the forefront of demanding anything either is he?

Must have missed Combet's speech to the ALP but I really cannot imagine it was a very challenging effort, because if it was, there is no one in the ALP who would be capable of understanding the 'big words' in it.

TBC
Most people might acknowledge in a casual way 'how nice it is to have a woman PM' just as they might acknowledge that the tulips look good this year as a relacement for daffodils, but it the tulips die off quicker then they might go back to the daffodils, or try a different variety of tulip.

No one really thinks that a woman PM will be any better or worse. They will be judged just as a male PM on their achievements and their ideals.

I mentioned Doug Cameron and Combet in the context of how far the ALP has shifted to the Right and the fact that these two are questioning some of the grass roots stuff.

Pelican... oh yes, I recall the joy that ushered Thatcher in to Number 10, a fresh approach etc etc blah blah blah...Sink the Belgrano, and Goose Green, never mind entire industries closed down, and a mammoth and profligate spending of national wealth on nothing very much.

I do understand what you say, but no, I doubt people would have said that so willingly if it had been The 'Parrafin' Bishop instead of our new Baptist PM, someone who had been publicly groomed to be 'a future PM'.

I do believe, that an awful lot of people believe, that a female PM will bring a new 'positive' dynamic to the affairs of the nation, simply because of their gender. And one could believe that Thatcherism proves it. But then again, Cameron (the UK PM one) is going to be even worse than her from what my shell-shocked friends and relatives in Blighty are saying now.

Cameron (the Senate one here) knew very well when he accepted his retirement package and slipped onto the red leather Jason easy-recliners with his supersoft sheepskin slippers, that his only role was to remain mute, tug his forelock and do the bidding of others, as it was within his union too, if 'progression' was sought.

That he has awoken, Rip Van Winkle-like after his winter snooze, says more of Cameron than it does of the ALP.

He burned out, or more correctly, fizzled out, after his two seconds of never-to-be-repeated notoriety, did he not?

Besides, one Rip Van Winkle does not, a summer, make

You have a way with words TBC.

If Bishop was PM then she, like Gillard, would be judged on her performance. I don't see Gillard getting a free ride on gender in Australian politics thus far despite the remarks. It is only natural that gender would be mentioned at some stage with a first PM. The same happened with Thatcher. The same would be true with a first Indigenous PM or a PM who was disabled in some way.

As for Cameron, his comments were fairly recent so we are yet to know what comes next but if Combet and Cameron are stirring the embers then chances are they are not the only two.

Indeed, Howes is too.

But he is from Australia's Worst Union, (Belly's tribe) and politically opposite to Combet and Cameron, so that might be interesting.

Even the ALPs apology of a national secretary seems to understand they are bereft of ideas, talent, brains and credibility, although he then blew his own by blaming Latham for the near wipeout.

Fancy that, the monster the ALP, and Gillard in particular, helped to create, Latham, being blamed for their ineptitude!

It beggars belief, while indicating absolutely nothing has been learned as well.

Actually, I wouldn't be too surprised if Gillard was coping some undercurrent of flack within the criticism of her, because she is a woman.

But I agree, she is not getting a free ride of any sort because of her gender.

But these days I don't bother to read newspapers, so have not really read any 'critiques' of her, although I see Paul Kelly, the Vatican's man, along with Sheridan and Pearson and gawd knows how many others, at the Oz, has been sniping at her.

As for a PM being disabled.... we've had a few of them, but most see that as being something else.

TBC thanks, you open the door to why that idiot union,you know the one, resorts to calling the AWU Australia's worst union.
Yes grumbles in my ranks, Belly should not speak out solidarity forever all that rubbish!
No way.
Born a longtime before that union, sunk its opposition blasted its way on to the stage the AWU was always my union.
Not Any of the other unions that make it todays one.
It has regained land it once plowed nearly on its own civil construction.
That thugs mugs and grubs group seemingly much loved by TBC is a dead weight on Unions.
Its members delegates and very sole, are migrating, to the union I served.
Bashing, thugs wearing masks gangsters unionism, the saying half witted things about its betters.
WHY? do I say some from my paddock will not be pleased?
Solidarity is a dream to cling to the idea if we the center of unionism do not separate our selves from the idiots we are being solid.
NO WAY not with our members past or future.
I Have a ten point mantra, I wrote it years ago.
It is called so you want to be a union official.
It is in my next post here, if pride in being the best brings TBC in to a sweat so be it.