Julia Gillard (Labor Party of Australia ) 24th June 2010 to present |
- Born in Wales. As a baby she contracted a severe lung infection and spent weeks in a oxygen tent in hospital, prompting her parents to migrate to the warmer climate of Australia
- Former secretary of Socialist Forum
- Lobbied for the scrapping of the ANZUS treaty
- Had a two-year relationship with fellow Minister Craig Emerson, who was married with three children at the time
- First female prime minister
- Only unmarried prime minister
- Attached the Greens for not having family values
- Opposed paid parental leave
- Said she didn't believe in gay marriage and that mariage should be between a man and a woman
- A proud athiest
- In regards to not having a family, she said: "There's something in me that's focused and single-minded and if I was going to do that [have a family], I'm not sure I could have done this [have a political career]."
- Drafted affirmative action rules for the Victorian Labor Party, which had the target of preselecting women for 35% of winnable seats within a decade
- Said women "are informed by being women"
- Said women "do not think the same way as men"
- Gave her boyfriend, a hairdresser, a job as health ambassador
- Said, " I’m just going to be upfront about this: foreign policy is not my passion"
- Lobbied the prime minister to delay the introduction of carbon pollution reduction measures
- In May 2010, said "There's more chance of me becoming the full-forward for the Dogs (Western Bulldogs AFL team) than there is any chance of a change in the Labor party."
- In June 2010, challenged for the leadership of the Labor Party and won
- Led the party to electoral defeat but retained power by forming a coalition with three independents and a member of the Greens
- Vowed not to introduce a carbon tax before her maiden election. After forming a coalition with the Greens MP, introduced a carbon tax
MAIN POLITICAL TRICK - The real Julia that is not the real Julia
Gillard was a left-wing, unmarried, childless feminist; however, to appeal to the family voters, she dressed herself up as the "average" suburban housewife standing behind the white picket fence. With photo spreads in Womans Day magazine, pearl necklaces, baby kissing photo opportunities, and cash incentives to parents, she tried to portray herself as something that she wasn't. When critics complained that they were not seeing the "real Julia", she vowed to stop relying on focus groups and would show people what she really was. Despite the talk, the pitch to the family voter continued. Later, when her alliance with the Greens saw the rival party go up in the polls and her own party go down, Gillard attacked the Greens as being unable to appreciate family values.
VERDICT
Definately wouldn't ever be described with tags such as "iron lady" or "politician of conviction." Gillard developed her own brand of consensus politics, which basically entailed letting others run the show. Perhaps because of the illigitmacy regarding the way she assumed power, she didn't have the authority to assert her views. After her maiden election, her willingness to give up power to win the support of independents removed her ability to weild power, even if she developed a desire to do so.
Gillard's innability to act like a leader left her looking hopelessly out of her depth on the international stage and somewhat spineless on the domestic stage. Her time in power will be remembered as the time when everyone but the prime minister had the opportunity to put forward their ideas.
