Yesterday I think we saw both the best of Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the worst of opposition leader Tony Abbott. I don't vote Labor as I can't agree with much of their policies these days after they've spent the last 20 years or so drifting to the right. I do though appreciate that Gillard does have a hard time of it in Parliament being the first woman Prime Minister of Australia, particularly when she's been accosted with such things as this from the opposite side of politics:
Who could argue that that isn't sexist? And BTW, Tony Abbott wasn't the only one from the Liberal party there. Bronwin Bishop was also front and centre. It's not only that though, as it's been bought to light through all the hoopla yesterday that Abbott continually makes sexist comments at Gillard across the chamber during parliamentary sessions.
Yesterday the debate was about the Speaker of the house, and a saga over him that's currently the subject of court proceedings in regard to offensive texts about women (amongst other things). Those proceedings are still ongoing, but Abbott demanded the Gillard gov sack him.
The press gallery is IMO too close to the situation there and a bit isolated from us minions in the real world. They're saying Gillard lost politically yesterday as she lost the Speaker and a vote on the floor. I completely disagree with that assessment. I'm not exactly sure if anyone in my world gives a flying fuck who the Speaker is or not, which was what yesterday's debate was all about. What we do care about though is what came out of the debate; namely Gillard finally standing up for herself, her dead father, and the bully Abbott. And good on her. This was long overdue. She needed to say this. She didn't lose politically, she won hands down, as IMO people would have cheered her on from their lounge-rooms.
Abbott, after his record, had the fuckin nerve, the gall, to get up in front of the country and start crapping on about misogyny to Gillard. That in itself was hypocrisy aplenty (especially after his mate Alan Jones' recent comments about Gillard's father dying recently "of shame" over his daughter Gillard) but then in the course of his question he starts channelling Jones and comes out with this:
Every day this Prime Minister stand in this Parliament to defend this Speaker will be another day of shame for this Parliament, another day of shame for a Government which should already have died of shame. moreJust appalling. I reckon it's even worse than the Jones' comment as he said it in parliament in front of the whole bloody country, let alone just a room full of people. Even if he didn't plan to say that, where the fuck did it come from and how the fuck couldn't he have stopped himself half way through if he didn't mean to say it? Of course he meant it. He's the type of political head-kicker that when he sees a weakness he goes for the jugular. Well, he saw the weakness, but the head-kicking strategy blew up in his face.
Gillard is in her best form when she's all riled up. She is eloquent and razor sharp. Gone was the wooden waffling Gillard we're familiar with on TV interviews. She proceeded to blowtorch Abbott in what can only be described as something akin to a napalm attack. I only saw a few minutes on the news, but here's the whole thing. It is a thing of artistic beauty. Abbott is laughing at the beginning as he thinks he's touched the nerve and getting the response he wants. His smile doesn't continue though.....
Some of Gillard's response in print:
I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man, I will not. And the Government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever. The Leader of the Opposition says that people who hold sexist views and who are misogynists are not appropriate for high office. Well, I hope the Leader of the Opposition has got a piece of paper and he is writing out his resignation.
Then, of course I was offended too by the sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition cat-calling across this table at me as I sit here as Prime Minister. 'If the Prime Minister wants to politically speaking make an honest woman of herself', something that would never have been said to any man sitting in this chair. I was offended when the Leader of the Opposition went outside in the front of Parliament and stood next to a sign that said "Ditch the witch". I was offended when the Leader of the Opposition stood next to a sign that ascribed me as a man's bitch.
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Then, of course, the Leader of the Opposition comes into this place and says and I quote "Every day the Prime Minister stands in this Parliament to defend this Speaker will be another day of shame for this Parliament. Another day of shame for a Government which should already have died of shame". Where has that phrase come from? Can I indicate to the Leader of the Opposition the Government is not dying of shame. My father did not die of shame.
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I will not ever see the Leader of the Opposition seek to impose his double standard on this Parliament. Sexism should always be unacceptable. We should conduct ourselves as it should conduct ourselves as it should be always unacceptable. Not the kind of double standards and political game playing imposed by the Leader of the Opposition, now looking at his watch because apparently a woman's spoken too long. I have had him yell at me to shut up in the past but I will take the remaining seconds of my speaking time to say to the Leader of the Opposition I think the best course for him is to reflect on the standards he has exhibited in public life, on the responsibility he should take for his public statements, on his close personal connection with Peter Slipper, on the hypocrisy he has displayed in this House today. more
It's going viral around the world.
Julia Gillard's blast against "misogynistic" Tony Abbott in parliament yesterday has made international headlines, with one writer comparing the prime minister to the Incredible Hulk......................
The popular US-based Jezebel.com blog, owned by Gawker media, praised Ms Gillard's broadside as an "epic speech" by a "badass motherf---er".
The blog said the video was the "best thing you'll see all day: Australia's female prime minister rips misogynist a new one in epic speech on sexism".
Another US blogger for the New Statesman compared the PM to the Incredible Hulk, beginning his report with: "The Australian PM is angry. You wouldn't like her when she's angry."
Footage of the speech spread across Twitter and Facebook after Business Insider linked to it under the headline: "An Australian politician shrinks in embarrassment, as the prime minister destroys him for being a misogynist".
In Britain, actor Chris Addison, from hit political satire film In the Loop, retweeted a link to the video.
"This is the best smackdown I've ever seen. Glorious. Advance, Australia Fair!"
Then he added: "That Julia Gillard speech is mesmerising. You can see the colour drain from him. Wonderful."
A columnist for Britain's Telegraph newspaper praised Ms Gillard for shifting the focus away from the Slipper scandal and onto Mr Abbott.
"Watching a female Prime Minister tear apart the male leader of the Opposition with such aplomb, composure — but most importantly armed with a brilliantly impressive set of insults — backed up with dates and times of when each shocking comment was said — was the best card Gillard, ever the political animal, could have played in such a situation," the columnist said. more
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Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard is one badass motherfucker. In an impassioned 15-minute smackdown in front of the house of Representatives, the country's first female leader gave a scathing speech calling out opposition leader Tony Abbott's extremely misogynistic comments, actions, views on abortion and single women, all while pointing in his face. She basically ripped him a new asshole. more
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