Julia casts shadow over justice

It is interesting in the aftermath of the bloodless coup to see that far from the laissez faire, “she’ll be right, mate’’, traditional attitude of Australians, the axing of Rudd in such a ruthless, Brutus-style manner, has fanned a fiery sense of anger, even rage from electors. Because what happened was un-Australian and unfair. And Australians are incensed that it happened behind their backs in a matter of hours. The manner of bringing a woman to the post of Prime Minister is tainted with blood. And, it will be fascinating if the people don’t decide they will be the judges after all – and judge the whole Labor Party unfit to govern after all.
After all, wasn’t Gillard one of the gang of four? Can she like Pontius Pilot wash her hands of the blood of Rudd? Or distance herself from the sheer incompetence of the government when she was deputy leader of the Labor Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

It pains me to question this milestone because as a South Australian woman I would rather be smug and gloat Gillard is one of a long line of excellent SA women leaders including Dame Roma Mitchell, first woman judge in the Supreme Court in Australia and first female State Governor in Australia and feminist leader Anne Summers, who with her group of women’s libbers triggered the Women’s Liberation Movement in Australia? And Janine Haines, first female leader of a political party.

But my sense of justice and the need for integrity and accountability in politics is far stronger than my sense of pride at the first Female Prime Minister because in this case the end does not justify the means.

To borrow a former Prime Labor Minister’s famous battle cry the question is will voters “Maintain the rage’’ at being deprived of their democratic right to judge Rudd and his performance.

After all, his government brought in a generous 18-week compulsory maternity leave and he delivered that historic long-awaited apology to the Aboriginal people. But it was also responsible for a raft of failed policies – and Gillard was part of that ineptitude.

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7 Comments to “Julia casts shadow over justice”

  1. By Kevyna Gardner, 29/06/2010 @ 8:05 pm

    I believe our GG is Quentin Bryce, not Bryce Courtney- who is a male writer.
    I disagree with your analysis of events.
    As for Rudd being “executed by a few powermongers”- I don’t believe the overwhelming majority of the party can be described thus. Very democratic. Plus the party elects the PM – not the people. The people did vote- not on election day, true, but in the polls.

    • By nadine, 29/06/2010 @ 10:47 pm

      Dear Kevyna, Oh my goodness! How could I make that mistake. I have interviewed Quentin Bryce and you will read in my women’s lives blog how I praised her as our first GG. I once had dinner with her and a group of 19 other women in Adelaide when Australian feminist Wendy McCarthy (a friendof Quentin’s) was awarded an honorary doctorate from one of our universities.
      We certainly will agree to differ about the manner of Rudd’s execution. And I maintain there is nothing democratic about it at all. The people voted for Rudd – make no mistake about that – as evidenced by his huge popularity at the beginning of his prime ministership. And beforehand, at the very beginning, the partnership of Rudd and Gillard was to create personality politics by the “powermongers” to win the 2007 election.
      That said, I am very pleased to hear from you – you are the first to respond to my comment, so thankyou. Nadine

      • By Jane Randall, 12/07/2010 @ 9:08 am

        Democracy takes many forms – look at the U.K. what is democratic about the House of Lords? Nothing – and in fact I find the whole idea of hereditary representation quite offensive. Representation should be earned not bestowed. I agree with Kevyna, the party elects the leader not the people. If we wish to have an American style of presidential politics (and the cult of personality that goes with it) then we need to hold a referendum and change this particular brand of parliamentary democracy that we have in Australia.

        • By ole, 12/07/2010 @ 11:53 am

          Hi Jane, We will continue to agree to disagree. It’s an interesting concept, though. I fear Rudd was pushing Australia towards the presidential style of prime ministership. Meanwhile, watch the smh this week, I have forwarded an article I have written on French politics to link into Bastille Day. Nadine

  2. By JaneFW, 01/07/2010 @ 1:05 pm

    It was a bloodless execution – but my observation is that most Australians are not outraged at this. Certainly it is a humiliating way to learn that autocracy in Government is not tolerated. What I found interesting was that Julia went to see Kevin face to face, while other Government ministers in the ‘gang of four’ did not. She showed courage and conviction and remember, only made this decision because Rudd started doing the numbers to check her loyalty. Surely we should take the debate away from whether she is Australia’s first female Prime Minister and judge her as a Prime Minister, period.

  3. By Beth, 12/07/2010 @ 11:47 am

    The party does elect the leader,but there is absolutely no doubt the people vote for the leader of their choice during an election.
    These labor power brokers were responsible for the demise of the last few Premiers of NSW, and I feel a deep disgust that they have the power to unseat a Prime Minister of Australia.
    I felt Julia’s “Victory” speech was a rather hollow “victory”, although she did try to placate us by saying she wouldn’t move into the Lodge until she was elected Prime Minister by the people.
    Julia certainly has more charisma than Rudd, but, it is the “same bus with a different driver”.

    • By nadine, 12/07/2010 @ 12:08 pm

      Thankyou, Beth, Many thanksfor your comments. We agree on the above issue. Do spread the word about my website.I wrote about Saturday by the way on my Facebook, so you must join as my friend, too.
      Cheers, Nadine

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