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Julia Gillard ousted: Achievement does not equal respect if you’re a woman
Julia Gillard navigated through the financial crisis, presided over a 14 per cent growth in the economy and pushed through several impressive policy reforms. The problem for the Australian PM was not her performance. It was that, from to beginning to end, she remained female, says Australian writer Van Badham
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-politics/10143834/Julia-Gillard-ousted-by-sexism-
Achievement-does-not-equal-respect-if-youre-a-woman.html
The reality is far different. After her rolling of Rudd, Gillard nudged to power in minority government after a disastrous election result for both Australia’s major parties in 2010. It was Gillard, not her opponent, the conservative Tony Abbott, who managed to win the support of what looked like an impossible coalition of four crossbenchers – a Green, and independent progressive and two independent conservatives.
Despite a minority government, her leadership and willingness to negotiate led to her passing a record amount of legislation for a post-war Australian Prime Minister.
This included:
- Australia’s first National Disability Insurance Scheme, of direct benefit to the 500,000 Australians living with disability
- Introduction of carbon pricing and an Emissions Trading Scheme which has reduced carbon emissions in Australia between 8-11 percent
- Overseeing the Gonski review for the revolutionary overhaul of the entire primary and secondary education sector
- Seeing that Australia take up a seat on the UN security for the first time
- Instituted life-changing policies for improvements in indigenous literacy
- Overseeing a national broadband network of high-speed internet is nation-building infrastructure.
Economically, her government maintained a commitment to Keynesian policy, unswayed by popular Ayatollahs of faulty spreadsheet economics that have impoverished other developed nations. Australia was the only developed economy to survive the global financial crisis, and under Gillard’s leadership the economy grew by 14pc.
It must beggar belief in other developed nations to see a leader who has delivered low unemployment, low interest rates, low inflation, three triple-A credit ratings and the third-lowest rate of debt in the OECD shafted so brutally.
Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle 
Julia Gillard’s ousting had nothing to do with the fact that she is female, despite Van Badham’s remarks to the contrary.There are other countries in the world that have female Prime Minister’s and they do their jobs extremely well.
There are policy failings in every country and Gillard was no different in that she brought in policies that the Labour party stated previously, it would not.
Margaret Thatcher did not tolerate belittling remarks and no strong leader would publically show if they were effected by them. Australia has always enjoyed ridiculing it’s politicians and they are well accustomed to their type of humour.
Australia awaits a strong confident female PM that is highly qualified in law and adept at negotiation.She will possess impeccable leadership qualities that command respect from fellow party members and the public alike.
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Under former Prime Minister John Howard’s government, he served as an employment minister between 1998 and 2001, and as minister for health and ageing in 2003.
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She was too polite to creeps like Jones, Hadley et al. They’re just creepy old bullies & should have been given a Keating style serve-sustained & brutal, as should Liealot & that band of Howard has beens. If she’d handed out a few more misogyny style sprays, it would have given them something to think about.
Sadly, though she would have copped a shellacking from those hypocrites in the msm who are now desperately trying to airbrush away their role in her demise.
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I have said this elsewhere !
Australia might not be quite ready in accepting females in power.
However, history will be kind to her. She achieved a lot, moved mountains.
Her speech on sexism and misogyny was hailed by many, including the New Yorker, The Sud Deutsche Zeitung, The Guardian, Le Monde and others as an international sensation. The world gave a standing ovation for her fifteen minutes speech. No female in Australia’s history has ever come closer to so succinctly and precisely sum up the curse of sexism and misogyny.
Despite a minority government, her leadership and willingness to negotiate led to her passing a record amount of legislation for a post-war Australian Prime Minister.
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http://www.nobelprize.org/nomination/economic-sciences/
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-09/nobel-peace-prize-winner-leymah-gbowee-on-the-drum/4619274
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From the day when Gillard was criticized about the size of her earlobes till the day she was questioned about her partner’s sexual orientation a few weeks ago Gillard did not stand a chance. She was brought down by the relentlessness of the Australian media in belittling her. If ever there was a need to improve education, this would have to be it. No country that I know of would consider employing the likes of an Ackerman, A.Jones or a Bolt, let alone have A Daily Telegraph or The Australian pretend to bring news.
I will always vote ALP, unlike some that change their colour according to the political weather.
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Many good stories written about Julia overseas, I’m so pleased about that….
Here what our own Nikki Gemmell has to say (an extract from her article in the Weekend Magazine of The Australian):
“Australia. The Gillard era. Just before I moved back, nine months into her into her prime ministership, I wrote in Britain’s Prospect magazine about settling into such a fresh and forward looking nation. That was the perspective from across the oceans: it felt le such an exhilarating, progressive time for Australia. I quoted an English expat: “In Australia, no one can box you into a corner unless you want to be boxed into a corner.”
Well Julia certainly was boxed into a corner, and of course she did not want it…it was the nasty MSM and the misogynistic men who do not want female leaders….
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Lovely work, Gerard, of course the naysayers won’t/can’t see beyond their noses, or perhaps the shock-jocks on the air waves. My only complaint about Julia is that she didn’t give the opposition a Keating style tongue lashing when the opportunity raised itself, and didn’t sell her government’s achievements more aggressively.
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Same complaint from me Big M; they have been too nice and polite…which is admirable, but not enough when you have such a horrible opposition.
I of course prefer Julia, but I hope that everybody will help Kevin to get Labor in.
As someone said”: UNITE AND FIGHT.
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She didn’t sell them well at all Big M. This was a very good government with a very good story to tell but couldn’t tell it. The opposition where well…. date thinkers more akin to the 1950’s. Today I see Adolf reckons Malcolm invented the internet in Australia.
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I’ve just read that Greg Combet, our local member has stepped down. He always struck me as fair dinkum, visited plenty of facilities in his electorate, and gave credit where credit was due, particularly when it came to hospital funding. This is essentially a working class area, so, the new incumbent is likely to retain the seat simply by turning up!
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I’ll miss Combet, a good bloke…Ludwig should have gone, not Greg
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She used to kowtow to the press, there were a couple of incidents where I would have told the ‘journalist’ to f*&^ off and walked out. The way that shock jocks treated her was absolutely reprehensible, and she just wore it.
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Indeed she did and did so with dignity. The thing is that shock jock appeal to your average low grade redneck buffoon or white shoe type and they could get away with anything. And the shock jock just love your Adolf type, he’s their sort of man, violent, abusive bullying.
Combet was one of the good ones, I understand why the give up and walk away.
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I was the first to say she and other Labor MPs were too darn polite. I’ll never understand why Julia took that shit from Jones and Sattler. Short of throttling them, I’d have walked out.
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Such a shame she was cut down, not because of her performance, but because of others performance in spreading and promoting hatred.
For 2 years or more, most Oz media and the rabid Shock Jocks drenched the populous with brainwashing bile, marinating their heads with poisonous spin, whipping them into a frenzy, mouths dripping with venom and their heads full of hatred until they were so psyched up they actually believed the disgusting things being said.
Hundreds of years ago, the Witchdoctor did something similar in whipping the young mindless warriors into a frenzy around the campfire before sending them off to attack a nearby tribe. They believed the Whitchdoctor.
It worked then and it’s working today.
But she didn’t deserve it. We are better than that.
Cheers
Mick
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Thanks Mick. She deserves a Noble Prize. An honest ale for you Mick with free battered wedges.
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Your generosity is too much, Gerard.
Forget the wedges and just give me free beer !!
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Thanks Gerard.
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