Belly sings the praises of the wild west woman, of his dreams. A tiger for 'the wurkers' and honest as the day is long.

Hardly. The hagiography by Jacqueline Kent on Gillard is worth a read, but first read Christine Wallace's opinion on it:

"The Making of Julia Gillard provides a plain-vanilla account of Gillard’s progress from Gillard’s point of view and an uncomplicated description of some arcane aspects of Labor’s factional history. If the truth is in the surface of things – as André Gide remarked – then Kent has done a good job of description without analysis. That will be fine with most of the people involved in this book, none more so than Gillard herself." (http://www.themonthly.com.au/books-christine-wallace-other-biography-jacqueline-kent039s-quotthe-making-julia-gillardquot-2015).

Of course, Wallace is an ALP machinery part, so be warned.

However, my reading of Gillard in this hagiography showed her to be the shallowest of people imaginable. Dedicated to the ALP machine above everything else. Having affairs with rightwingers all the time, while pretending to be 'left'.

Belly is correct, she did back Latham, the monster from Hell, but only because it provided a way forward for her while he was there.

His politics were always as credible as hers though, so they deserved each other.

I think it unfair to taint 'women' with Gillard, or to expect Gillard to be 'a woman'. Such thinking is silly, misdirected and worthless.

Why not expect all politicians, male and female, to be credible worthwhile people, and leave gender out of it?

Gillard is neither credible nor worthwhile, but she is not alone in our nations parliaments is she?

These places of privileged ignorance abound with men, many of whom show no signs of ability either.

True to a degree Blue Cross but Labor at least should have found a woman half credible and intelligent enough to hold the position pf PM.

TBC:"I think it unfair to taint 'women' with Gillard, or to expect Gillard to be 'a woman'. Such thinking is silly, misdirected and worthless."

Not at all. Gillard is a founding member of Emily's List and has gained special treatment as a result.

All the ALP women are members of Emily's list with the exception of those who refuse to support "pro-choice", which is a primary ideology.

http://www.emilyslist.org.au/our-mps

Kate Lundy
Gai Brodtmann
Sharon Grierson
Julie Owens
Tanya Plibersek
Janelle Saffin
Jill Hall
Sharon Bird
Justine Elliot
Trish Crossin
Jan Mc Lucas
Claire Moore
Kirsten Livermore
Anne McEwen
Penny Wong
Carol Brown
Julie Collins
Lisa Singh
Julia Gillard
Catherine King
Jenny Macklin
Laura Smyth
Louise Pratt
Melissa Parke

State Parliamentarians

Katy Gallagher ACT
Kirin MacDonald ACT
Mary Porter ACT
Linda Burney NSW
Noreen Hay NSW
Sonia Hornery NSW
Christine Robertson NSW
Penny Sharpe NSW
Carmel Tebbutt NSW
Lynda Voltz NSW
Helen Westwood NSW
Jane Aagaard NT
Alison Anderson NT
Delia Lawrie NT
Malarndirri McCarthy NT
Marion Scrymgour NT
Anna Bligh QLD
Desley Boyle QLD
Jan Jarratt QLD
Jo-Ann Miller QLD
Lindy Nelson-Carr QLD
Rachel Nolan QLD
Desley Scott QLD
Christine Smith QLD
Judy Spence QLD
Barbara Stone QLD
Karen Struthers QLD
Frances Bedford SA
Lyn Breuer SA
Giles Gago SA
Robyn Geraghty SA
Stephanie Key SA
Grace Portolesi SA
Jennifer Rankine SA
Gay Thompson SA
Lara Giddings TAS
Michelle O'Byrne TAS
Jacinta Allan VIC
Liz Beattie VIC
Candy Broad VIC
Lily D'Ambrosio VIC
Kaye Darveniza VIC
Joanne Duncan VIC
Maree Edwards VIC
Jane Garrett VIC
Judith Graley VIC
Danielle Green VIC
Jill Hennessy VIC
Natalie Hutchins VIC
Sharon Knight VIC
Jenny Mikakos VIC
Lisa Neville VIC
Bronwyn Pike VIC
Jaala Pulford VIC
Fiona Richardson VIC
Gayle Tierney VIC
Sue Ellery WA
Carol Martin WA
Sally Talbot WA
Lisa Baker WA
Janine Freeman WA
Alannah Mactiernan WA
Linda Savage W

Can you ppoint to an equivalent group of men who identify primarily as men and only secondarily as MPs?

I actually give Julia Gillard alot more credit then many others
on OLO do. Her real problem is the division in her own party
and having to concede to the Greens to form Govt. That has put
her between a rock and a hard place on things like the carbon
tax and the boat people question.

Its women such as Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann which I am
really nervous about. Woe betide the world, if one of them should
gain office.

Forgive me Arjay, but I am unaware of any women in the ALP suitable to be elevated to PM.

That said, I despair over the men too.

And what/whom from the Coalition? Julie Bishop (hahahaha) or Sophie, a female version of Abbott-Heffernan?

Perhaps you can assist with a few nominees?

Re an election, the independants have said they would continue to
support the government if Gillard it tipped out.
Of course to do otherwise would put them out of a job and parliament.

I do not think we will go to an early election, we may go all the way
to early 2004. I think it can go for a few months over the three years.

From what I read, growth is very low and that probably means increasing
unemployment. This will upset many of the rusted on and may change
their vote.
It will not matter what party gets elected, unemployment will increase
but later on there will be increasing opportunities for manufacturing.
I just cannot see Gillard ever understanding what the British govt
has found on future fuel, even though they are like rabbits in the headlights.
Yes, I don't expect the opposition to be any better on that matter either.