Julia casts shadow over justice

What a great pivotal moment in Australian politics. Former South Australian, Julia Gillard is Australia’s first female Prime Minister, made even more momentous when she visited the first Female Australian Governor General, Quentin Bryce to be sworn in.
Surely, as a nation we can boast we now have gender equality in politics.
And with a minimum of fuss, too! There is now a lady in the House to clean up what has become a right royal mess caused mainly by men. Sweet revenge.
Or is it? At what price to the very foundation of our society – precious democracy – has this been achieved?
Former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd whatever his failings or perceived weaknesses was democratically elected by the people and he has been politically executed behind closed doors by a few powermongers within his own Labor Party. It was an unprecedented – and what some people say, an unconscionable act of betrayal. It was most certainly undemocratic.
Surely, the Prime Minister whom Australians voted into power with such excitement in 2007, deserved to be judged by the people for his performance on election day. Don’t the people deserve to be the judges of his performance?
Isn’t that what the democratic process and the whole voting system we treasure all about?

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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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