I have confused and conflicting thoughts running through my head about whether the demise of Kevin Rudd's Prime Ministership was a good thing.
I feel sympathy for Kevin Rudd. Just last year (maybe 6 months ago) he was the most popular Prime Minister in the history of polls. He appears to have been taken completely by surprise as was everyone else. He had the look of a man betrayed and robbed of his very identity at his press conference. However, I feel that his true style of leadership and character was beginning to break through his carefully crafted public image. Kevin07 was beginning to look like a façade created to win the election. There were reports of foul language, abusive antics, bullyboy tactics and his authoritarian and exclusive leadership style. These made me feel a little cheated. Was the person voted into the Prime Minister's office really what we thought he was? But I still feel a sense of bewilderment at the betrayal of Kevin Rudd and the speed at which it was done.
I also feel a great sense of optimism. Seeing Julia Gillard speak today, before being sworn in, confirmed for me that she is smart, capable, down-to-earth, experienced and generally likeable. She has always been a good parliamentary performer and some argue one of the Government's best. I think that she will be a good Prime Minister. I think the contrast between her and Tony Abbott could not be greater. I think that she can tweak some of the policies that led Kevin Rudd to nose dive in the polls and lead her way to a strong election performance.
I originally felt dismay that Julia Gillard wasn't elected by the Australian People. But I quickly moved past this. We don't have a Presidential system, we elect parties and they chose the leader. This is the system we have. Technically, Kevin Rudd wasn't elected Prime Minister by the public but put in that position in the same way Julia Gillard now is, elected by the ALP caucus. I think it speaks volumes, that in our system, parties are not beholden to poor leaders and can change if needed.
I also have a fear that this will not be the catapult that the ALP powerbrokers think will shoot them to election victory. Kevin Rudd will be blameless, Julia Gillard will have lost her chance at leading our country, the ALP will be left in the wilderness of opposition again and Tony Abbott will be taking our country further to the right than even John Howard would have dared dream about.
But ultimately I am filled with a sense of pride that Australia has a female Prime Minister. I didn't fully appreciate the impact for women of having a female Prime Minister until my wife stood with tears in her eyes watching Julia Gillard being sworn in by Governor General Quentin Bryce. She said to me at this point, "I can't believe there are two women in those positions." For men who have always seen men in these positions I struggled to understand the importance. But for her it was a momentous occasion that hopefully shatters the ceiling of what young girls can dream of!
And I like that most of all. Good luck Julia. Do my wife proud!
