Oz Election Thread #4 - Gillard's Labor

Kinda.

Not by much!

I wish I could feel okay about Kevin Rudd being removed as Prime Minister before he had a chance to do his full term. I feel betrayed but can't explain why. I didn't like the idea of Kevin being such a swearer. I felt he should have set a better example but did he deserve to be shafted now? Why didn't Julia wait for the next Federal election. I'm not happy about the way this has happened and need a shoulder to cry on... unless someone can convince me it was "for the best".

The impression I have is that Julia wanted to wait, but events (especially polls) overtook her preference leaving her with no choice about the timing

You're not wrong Narelle!!!

reactions Deb?

Multiple and contradictory:

1. OH MY GOD WE HAVE A WOMAN PRIME MINISTER!!! And I think she's a smart and decent woman. And SHE'S FROM THE LEFT...only sadly, it's only what passes for a left these days.

2. I feel for Rudd.

3. WHY in HELL hasn't Rudd been performing as he did last night in the media conference? Guts and grace, I'd say. I've not been impressed with his policies, but I think he's a decent fella.

4. The ******* right managed to persuade him to back down on ETS, and he's plummeted from there, and now they shaft him!

5. The right gave her this, and they're going to be pressuring her a lot.

6. If it's a poisoned chalice Labor's managed to get a woman to drink from it again. If not, see above.

7. I wish her all the wellest and I hope she does a fantastic job and blows Abbott and Rudd out of the water.

8. Thank goddess I am not in politics.

I'm still dealing with the shock and awe; the speed with which it happened, and it's led to a frantic work day for me so no time to process it.

Ave, Julia Seizer!

Yes

She reminds me of a year 10 English teacher.
I think its the "way" she talks.

A bit scary that she OWES the right factions (and others) big time.

Does she though? It would seem the factions pushed her forward, rather than any begging on her part. I think she would have preffered to wait. Maybe she got a strings free deal?

It occurred to me last night that Sydney is now officially under matriarchial rule -

Elizabeth II - Queen of Australia
Quentin Bryce - Governor General of Australia
Julia Gillard - Prime Minister of Australia
Marie Bashir - Governor of New South Wales
Kristina Keneally - Premier of New South Wales
Clover Moore - Lord Mayor of Sydney

I suppose I should be jumping up and down for joy at all the shattered glass ceilings, but sadly I can't help feeling that at least two of the above are merely puppets, set in place to appease the multitudes.

I am ashamed of what the Labor Party has done to New South Wales and I don't want the same thing to happen to Australia.

And?

Lord knows the boys did it for a few millenia!

I don't think I got my message across clearly. No criticism of Julia intended (nor of any of the others listed). I am just sad that it APPEARS (from the dreadful state of NSW, where the piggies have been snuffling their way through the trough till it is just about all gone) that the current trend is becoming a case of 'when the going gets tough, put a woman in the job' - not because it is a damned good idea (which it is), but because when it really hits the fan she can be blamed 'because she is only a woman'.

The toughness needed to gain and maintain a position at this level of politics irons out any advantage/disadvantage the percieved gender differences may have brought.
I would be pleased to be proven wrong.

I think it's too cynical and paranoid to think all those women are in those positions because men want a women there to take the fall. The labor party put the person who can win into power (Julia) and removed the one who couldn't (Kevin). I'm not sure gender had much to do with that, other than the fact that it may improve her chances of winning, which is of course demonstration of a preference towards rather than against a woman.

Women hold all the positions of power (also the case in my state), and all my bosses up the chain at work (except one) are also women.

I was late to a meeting recently and someone said "C'mon, we can't start the meeting without our token man". The funny thing is I never noticed it until it was pointed out.

So does this mean we can get on with it already? Can we start treating everybody as human, rather than tiptoe around the subsets?

Aren't we there, yet?

I suppose not. (sigh)

No, we clearly are not.

The cynical side of me thinks the right (male) heavies are in a win/win.

If she wins, they're in power.

If she loses, the most heavy competition to whomever they engineer as leader (no doubt one of them?) is weakened or gone.

I can't tell if I'm too naive or you are too cynical. It's like you don't see all these strong capable women, you dismiss them as puppets (aha! There are men back there! They must be the real power).

I think it's a bit unfair to the women concerned really. Perhaps women are so well entrenched in the war you can't see the victories so long as there's a battle left somewhere?

I'm a gen x-er, part of the much maligned SNAG set who were rebelling against the baby boomer misogyny of the 60's and 70's. Perhaps the war is won for those my age and below, while the babyboomer men are still clinging on for dear life?