11 quotes from Julia Gillard’s interview.

[***super_nova***]

1. On how she chose to conduct herself immediately after losing the Prime Ministership: 

Gillard thought it best to “give a gift of silence to the Labor party throughout the course of the campaign; to do absolutely nothing”.

2. On the key difference between herself and Kevin Rudd:

“I think the key difference is every day I was deputy prime minister I spent all of my time doing everything I could to have the Labor government prosper.”

3. On seeing sexist and offensive cartoons and statements about herself on social media:

She felt not sadness or hurt but, ”more like murderous rage really”.

“For my personal liberty, it’s probably a good thing that I didn’t focus on them… At the end of the day, yes, it happened to me, but it’s not, you know, about me. It’s about all of us, about women and about the kind of society we want to be for all of us.”

4. On playing the so-called ‘gender card’:

“It just amazes me that we can be having this infantile conversation about gender wars, and … you just feel like saying: ‘Well, if it was your daughter and she was putting up with sexist abuse at work, what would you advise her to do?’” Gillard said.

“Because apparently if she complains, she is playing the victim, and playing gender wars, and if she doesn’t complain, then she really is a victim.”

5. On what an average day was like in her job as Prime Minister:

Gillard would go through the papers in the morning, remaking most days to her Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan: “Polls are **bleep**. Papers are **bleep**. Yep, yes they are, Wayne.”

6. On what advice she would give to new Prime Minister Tony Abbott:

“It is a big step from criticising what you think is wrong to working out and implementing what you think is right. On current indications, Prime Minister Abbott is intending to take that step slowly. And for all of us, I think that might well be a good thing.”

7. On whether she would like to see Hillary Clinton run for the American Presidency in 2016:

“Wouldn’t it be fantastic to follow the first African American president, with the first woman president?”

8. On what advice she would give Tony Abbott now that’s he’s brought the women’s portfolio within his own Government department.

“Ask Tanya [Plibersek].”

9. On how she managed to stay motivated in the face of “horrible sexism”:

Gillard first responded to the question, asked by an 11-year-old girl, cautioning: ”I now need to answer [the question] not using words that are inappropriate… How old are you again?”

She continued, “In moments of some, you know, stress and pressure, for example, when I was getting myself together to go out and give my final speech as Prime Minister, I certainly did say to myself that I wouldn’t give those people the satisfaction of seeing me shed a tear – I wouldn’t do that.”

10. On whether she would encourage women to think about pursuing politics:

If she could go back and advise another woman in her own position – about to be the nation’s first female PM – Gillard said she “…would still say to her: do it. Because the benefits of what you get to do are far superior to the burdens”

11. On what it will be like for Australia’s next female Prime Minister:

“I think even people who may not remember me as a good PM, I think for whoever the next woman is, there will be a bit of a pause, breathe, whatever else this female Prime Minister does, we don’t want it to be like that for her again.”

[freakiness]

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@silverfaun wrote:

OMG here we go again with the left & Labor fantasizing again about the real truth about Gillard. Eulogizing & hero worshipping their failed leaders they are so fond of doing.

She set out to play the gender card at the urging of McTernan, he did it in the UK & thought it would work out here. She sought to exploit her gender, exploit being a victim even when she gave as good as she got. It was all she had left.

She was a willing participant in the whole gender victimhood ploy & the Emily listers & the old trout sisterhood who have never moved on from the 60's  woman's  lib    who eagerly assisted her.      Her sisters abandoned   her to save their own necks. They ran from her as far away  as they could get.

She was rejected by her own party & rejected by the voters  because under her Labor would have lost up to 15 more seats.

So please stop it, stop the sympathy card & the crocodile tears for a woman who knew exactly what she wanted, what she was doing & where it led her. She would still be in parliament now if it was up to her, she wanted it & wanted it desperately & would have never given it up, ever, her party dumped her in the knowledge she would have to leave politics forever.

So lets be frank here, her beloved Labor party got rid of her because she was an abject failure as a leader, nothing to do with her gender.

One thing she has done is put back women ever getting to the top of politics for generations. That's her legacy.

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This conversation is about the interview with Anne Summers.

Did you watch it?

Obviously not! There was much laughter throughout and not a hint that she has held back the prospect of women getting to the top for generations.  That's up to the Aussie people, not her. 

[silverfaun]

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@catmad*2013 wrote:

All this "poor me you were picking on me because I am a woman" is a load of rubbish..... Gillard made it a gender war because she thought it would be a good tool to use... but it backfired and the people didn't like it and so then she cried poor me... you are being mean becuase I am a woman... but she is wrong, people picked on her because they thought she lied about the CO2 tax. 

Revealed: secret Gillard strategy to leverage gender wars for political gain - 

GIVE an interview to Mamamia? OK. Pitch a "first women" episode of Q&A? Possible. Raise the profile of "working mums" such as Tanya Plibersek? Tick. Give a speech at your old high school? Done to death. Go back to Slater & Gordon? People don't like lawyers. Create a $3 billion equal pay fund? Need more info.

Internal briefing documents -- peppered with hand-written notes by Julia Gillard -- reveal the nation's first female prime minister embarked on a deliberate strategy to focus on gender for publicity and political gain.

The Media Unit Brief from the then PM's media unit proposed a "women's media strategy" in May last year, with many of its suggestions and ideas quickly taken up.

Ms Gillard and her supporters have frequently argued that the focus on gender was not something she deliberately sought to foster, but the four-page strategy, obtained by The Weekend Australian, was prepared directly for the prime minister and focuses on three objectives: to build on Labor values messaging by focusing on women's issues; to build on the narrative around the first female prime minister and highlight the government's achievements in this field; and to increase Ms Gillard's profile in the media consumed by women.

Dated May 22 last year, the briefing prepared by then staffer Sally Tindall was annotated and initialled "JG 4/6/12" with the suggestion to "see notes -- please integrate into forward media plan".

Five sub-headings cover women in the economy, improving wages, climate change, women in leadership, and assistance for working women.

The briefing suggests maximising political benefit from the Fair Work Australia decision on improving wages in the women-dominated social and community services sector by setting up a $3bn fund, framing legislation and tackling the states on the issue.

Making the case for legislation, the briefing said: "This would provide a wedge for (Tony) Abbott and we know that while officially they support the SACS case, a lot of their backbench have expressed reservations."

The PM's notation said she would "need more info on this".

Legislation did eventuate later in the year but the Coalition did not oppose it.

The document reveals media tactics used to promote the women's agenda. with suggestions such as an interview with mamamia founder Mia Freedman, followed by blog or question-and-answer session on the website.

"This would include some social media in the lead-up by key ministers and prominent women, encouraging people to ask questions," the notes say. This idea was circled, marked "OK", and happened within days.

"Lots of women love the idea of trailblazers," suggested another section. "Media on this is perfect for the two-year anniversary of the first female prime minister."

Among the suggestions to be taken to various media players was: "Pitch the idea of a 'first women' episode of (ABC TV's) Q&A." The hand-written notation on this was "possible". A week later Q&A featured Ms Gillard as its solo guest.

Other ideas suggest mobilising support from other women: "Sign up some key spokespeople . . . the women would ideally be high-profile but not extremely high salaries."

Ms Gillard is given advice on how to appeal to working women. "You should be seen to be listening to families and women, understanding the complexities of juggling work and family life and showing we are open to practical ideas about how to make the system work better/be responsive."

Among other suggestions was raising the media profiles of "working mums such as (Labor MPs) Jenny Macklin, Tanya Plibersek and Julie Collins" outside the Canberra press gallery "with the message 'you can do it too' ". This had been ticked.

One group of suggestions lists a speech at Ms Gillard's old school, Unley High, a feature article involving her father, who has since died, and a "return home" event to her former employer, law firm Slater & Gordon.

Ms Gillard's notes say: "Not sure about any of these. Dad too unwell. Unley done to death. And people don't like lawyers."

At the time few people, if any, could have known that Ms Gillard's period at Slater & Gordon was about to become the subject of major controversy.

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so.......not what the labbies want to read on here, they would rather reminisce about a failed politician who is deluding herself that she was hard done by and forget the base politics she played to cling onto power at any cost.

[freakiness]

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@catmad*2013 wrote:

All this "poor me you were picking on me because I am a woman" is a load of rubbish..... Gillard made it a gender war because she thought it would be a good tool to use... but it backfired and the people didn't like it and so then she cried poor me... you are being mean becuase I am a woman... but she is wrong, people picked on her because they thought she lied about the CO2 tax. 

Ms Gillard's notes say: "Not sure about any of these. Dad too unwell. Unley done to death. And people don't like lawyers."

At the time few people, if any, could have known that Ms Gillard's period at Slater & Gordon was about to become the subject of major controversy.

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She didn't make a gender war.  Never did she say anyone was picking on her because she was a woman.  

Did you read what you posted?  That would suggest she wasn't all that interested in making it about her.

[freakiness]

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@kilroy_is_here wrote:
The problem with women libbers is they spend all their time demanding to be treated as equals and finally they get treated as a man would another man they complain that they should be treated different and that they are being picked on because they are a woman .

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How exactly would that be?

I didn't see any pics of Howard with giant black dildos strapped or hear it constantly repeated that he should be tossed out to sea in a chaff bag.  

[izabsmiling]

other people did and still are though 

making it all about her that is ..

[freakiness]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@izabsmiling wrote:

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@catmad*2013 wrote:

I wonder if Gillard would come to the defense of Abbott's daughters ater that vile tweet from an ALP supporter that was left on the ABC's Q&A twitter feed for a very long time???? 

To me that is sexist... questioning a womans capability is not sexist... 

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are we in a Court room ? is there is limit on the number of things that are sexist ? What does Julia Gillard have to do with that twitter feed ? Did YOU contact the  ABC about it ?

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This thread is about sexism. Ms Gillard making speeches about how sexism put her into a murderous rage.
Yet I have seen sexist comments made about Mr Abbot's daughters, who have done nothing wrong, who have helped their father in his political campaign, be villified, right here on CS,  by the very ppl who are crying "sexism" on Ms Gillard's behalf.

For shame.

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She didn't make a speech about murderous rage.

Did any of you who are criticising bother to watch the interview?

As for the Abbott girls, it was their own father used them as female toys during the campaign. There is something not normal about a 50 yo man holding hands all day long with his adult children and draping them around like he's at the Playboy Mansion.  That's an aside about him not them.

Where is all the vilification about them?  I've not seen any attacks on them at all.  

[cherry*135]

From LL's link:

30/9/13

Australian authorities has confirmed that three boats carrying asylum seekers have arrived during the past week, with Indians and West Papuans among those on board.

In the second update on Operation Sovereign Borders, acting Commander Mark Binskin said that 18 Indian nationals had arrived in Darwin last Tuesday, seven West Papuans arrived in the Torres Strait on Wednesday and on Thursday, a further 70 passengers and five crew arrived at Christmas Island.

Air Marshal Binskin also noted reports that a further group of about 80 people had arrived at Christmas Island on Monday, but said this boat fell outside the reporting period and would be confirmed next week.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/boat-carrying-80-suspected-asylum-seekers-arri...

175 boat people (4 boats) arriving over a period of 8 days :faints:

[debra9275]

Ssshh it's supposed to be a secret

[cherry*135]

freaki: As for the Abbott girls, it was their own father used them as female toys during the campaign. There is something not normal about a 50 yo man holding hands all day long with his adult children and draping them around like he's at the Playboy Mansion.  That's an aside about him not them.

Where is all the vilification about them?  I've not seen any attacks on them at all.  

I found that very strange. Trot the daughters out in public, use them as stooges, then after the election back out of sight again.

These daughters are adults, not children who would normally be seen out and about with their parents like younger children.

Some people mention Obama and his daughters who are aged 12 & 15 approx.

Probably would have looked a bit better if they appeared every now and again with both Tony & his wife.. as a family group.

[freakiness]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@debra9275 wrote:
Actually Icy, I interpret that a little differently. ,Muderous rage was her response to the offensive, sexist way she was depicted in cartoons. I only ever saw those here on CS, probably because I never went looking for them. what have we come to as a society when we have so little respect for public figures?

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Sorry Deb, but "respect for public figures" needs to extend to our current ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC Prime Minister.

Sorry if you, or Ms Gillard, can't handle the way she was depicted in political cartoons, but hey! Politicians have been lampooned for centuries in "political cartoons".

Ms Gillard needed to "man up" to it, otherwise prove herself not equal to the "boys club"!

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It's not only Ms Gillard that is being portrayed as a man destroyer. It's mobs of women being depicted as the enemies of manhood.

It's not a boys club. It's our parliament which represents men, women and children. No, she doesn't have to man up!  Why should she?  She is representing the whole population, not just the male half.

It is possible to lampoon without being grossly sexist.  Why is that so hard to understand?