A survey of more than 10,000 Australians, published in The Australian newspaper today, has revealed that US President Barack Obama and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard are our country’s top two most admired individuals of 2013.
Let us take a moment to ponder this fact, shall we?
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I am now actively substituting ellipsis for swearwords. Because seriously Australia, NOW?
Now, we decide we admire Julia Gillard? NOW? After she’s gracefully departed public life, given up her seat in the nation’s parliament and no longer has any formal political influence?
The way Julia Gillard was treated by the then Opposition, by the press gallery and in turn, by much of the Australian public (not to mention some members of her own party), was humiliating and disgraceful. She was the target of deeply offensive viral material, violent threats, sexualised newspaper cartoons, and vitriolic public commentary.
While there was of course valid political and policy criticism of Gillard and her government (as there must be of any democratic government), the magnitude of hate that large numbers of voters felt towards her just one year ago, was immense.
Yes, Gillard was ultimately toppled by her own party and not the public. But the reason she hung on so long – in the face of extreme public distaste and disrespect – was because of the incredibly high esteem in which her caucus colleagues held her.
Julia Gillard is a formidable intellect, a skilled negotiator and an empathetic decision maker. I believe that, had we given her the respect she deserved and the time she needed to make a difference in a terribly difficult parliamentary environment, Gillard would have been one of our most significant reformist Prime Ministers.
But we didn’t.
We gave her neither respect, nor time, nor the generosity that as Australians we are supposedly famous for: a ‘fair go’. Now, we are seeing the repercussions of those actions. And from the looks of those polling numbers, we’re regretting it.
Political disclaimer: The author has worked for the Rudd and Gillard Governments.
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Top Comments
ah... public opinion.... look what they did to Jesus after they screamed out to crucify him.... people are such flippant castaways. Flotsam and Jetsam on the tide of social influence. I never failed to see Julia as anything but a strong woman whom I admired from the beginning. I'm glad she gets her due respect, albeit after the wolf blew down her house.
This woman - this good person - held my complete respect, under the most abominable treatment - the onslaught of vitriol against her (I think JUST because she is female) was a lasting shame on us as a society. I am ashamed to be an Australian because I think vast numbers of our men are still deeply misogynist and our women - some of her most intolerant, waspish critics. The vitriol was a complete mystery to me.