Many had a lot of hope for Julia Gillard. There were a few damning policies- such as "Big Australia", "Computers For Every Child", questions of influence of her partner by the Jewish lobby (not sure how well these were founded). I didn't object to the way she obtained power as this was I believe Wayne Swan's and others influence. She left office with a grace unmatched by any in recent years. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard were initially an impressive team. The suspicion is that the ALP has lost its way- and has become more partisan to special interest groups. At this stage perhaps the Liberal party is less partisan- despite their apparent support of the big end of town. It appears the two major parties have reached a "Hegelian Synthesis" and the only hope for the Australian people is with a large coalition of independents able to block power in the Senate. We'll find out what happens by April next year- and probably earlier in "September 2018 this year". If there is a September election we will find out in "July next month"!

Robert,

Foxy and all the other Gillard Luvies think that Juliar was the best thing since sliced bread and that her term in office was such a dismal failure was because the opposition was mean to her, and not because she was a duplicitous weasel with a long list of policy failures.

Shadow Minister,

You're someone who's regularly displayed very rusted
on views on a variety of issues so you're not in any
position to criticise any one else. As for Julia Gillard
she definitely was not perfect. However she was treated
in a manner that was unprecedented in the history of
Australian politics particularly by a man whose political
ambition drove him beyond and above normal political
behaviour. He got kicked out as a result of that - by his
own party.

whose political ambition drove him beyond and above normal political behaviour
Foxy,
Are you deliberately using sanitised wording here because it looks as though you're avoiding telling facts. These facts are that the man for want of a better description, is an up-himself academic with not an ounce of common decency. One could not claim decency & then send your own country & its people down the gurgler & still have the audacity to claim you care.
No, he was & still is an egoist of disproportion to his competence.

"However she was treated in a manner that was unprecedented in the history of Australian politics"

I really think that view is a product of obliviousness to what is dished out to male politicians rather than an accurate reflection on what went Gillards way. A product of the men being disposable and what happens to them really does not matter what happens to them mentality rather than an accurate reflection of tone of politics.

R0bert

Dear RObert,

Strongly disagree.

Amazingly the fact that Gillard won an election,
negotiated 4 separate agreements with Independents and
The Greens to form a minority government was seen by
her critics not as a crowning achievement but as sneaky
and treacherous. What does a girl have to do?