Social justice under global threat - Gillard

Ex PM Gillard was at a function honouring Joan Kirner, and used the opportunity to sound the alarm on what's happening in Australia and worldwide. 

It's no secret that Abbott was elected with the aid of the Murdoch media empire. He got there through lies and Murdoch support. But Australia isn't the only western country that's been presented with an extremist wacko far right wing corporate supporting gov. 

Like, WTF is going on in England? Horror stories coming out of there about what the gov over there is doing to the poor and sick. Canada has also copped a similar sort of thing. New Zealand has had a right wing gov for some time now. So it looks like it's Australia's turn now right?

I don't necessarily go along with that. Australians don't take shit, and no matter how you dress it up it's still a turd. The corporate takeover of the world may well find itself in quite some bother in Australia. 

Julia Gillard has delivered a rallying call to the community and charity sector to take up the fight of social justice and inclusion after conceding that much of what she sought to achieve in government is under threat. 

The former prime minister has also declared that progressive values and fairness across the globe are under challenge and committed her post-political life to education. 

In a speech in honour of her political mentor, Joan Kirner, Ms Gillard did not mention Tony Abbott by name, but appealed to community groups to lead the fight for a ‘‘socially just Australia and socially just world’’. 

‘‘The fragility of some of what we have built and what we still must achieve, has become so evident over recent months,’’ she told a conference of not-for-profit community groups at Moonee Valley. 

‘‘We have seen the recommendations of the Commission of Audit and the response of the government in the budget that was handed down earlier this month. Budgets are made up of choices. They make us – all of us, no matter what side of politics we are on – think about what we care most about, what we want valued in our society.’’ 

Declaring social justice under threat on multiple fronts, she said she wanted to see ‘‘an educated country, a compassionate country, and a country that holds social justice and fairness at the core of its identity’’. Read more