A New Dawn

On the 23rd of June, 2010, Australians watching Hey, Hey It’s Saturday, had their program interrupted by a cross to the channel 9 newsroom, where a political bombshell was dropped: an emergency meeting had been called in Canberra and Kevin Rudd wasn’t invited.

For weeks rumours have been circulating that Rudd’s head was going to roll, and that Julia Gillard would be left holding the silver platter Rudd was to be served on. For weeks, Gillard dogged questions about stepping up as Prime Minster, even going as far as saying that she would play full-forward for the Western Bulldogs before she ended up as Prime Minster. (The Western Bulldogs issued a statement tonight saying that although she would make a great, small full- forward, they were sure that she would have too much to do now, to play).

A new dawn of Australian politics has begun and Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female Prime Minster, is at the helm. Although the position of PM is not new to Gillard, as she has stepped in as Deputy PM many times before, it is however the first time in Australian history that a female Governor-General has sworn in a female Prime Minster. The times, they are a changing.

Journalists politely laughed at Kevin Rudd’s parting jokes, as he stood, surrounded by his family, for the last time as Prime Minster of Australia. Kevin 07’s reign had ended abruptly, in another first for Australian politics. Outnumbered and betrayed by his own party, Rudd knew his time was up. At 9am, EST, on the 24th of June, Rudd conceded defeat and without going to a vote, stepped down as Prime Minster. Never before has this happened to a serving Government and Rudd’s bad-luck has already been linked to Gough Whitlam’s untimely departure as PM, in 1975.

His family behind him, Rudd summed up his time in Government with what he was most proud of: the apology to the Stolen Generation and what he was not most proud of: blubbering in public. It was a brave man that stood before the journalists this morning and it would have taken a lot of strength to say goodbye. His bottom lip quivering and long pauses to try and compose himself, Rudd departed with class and a positive attitude: we haven’t seen the last of him; he still wants to be a part of the Labor party.

As parliament sat today with Rudd in the back bench, one had to wonder what was going through his mind. Rudd was not a party man and felt strongly about his beliefs and that, in the end was his undoing. The camera caught him looking forlorn, or perhaps he was being nostalgic; not 24 hours before, he had been sitting where Gillard was now sitting.

Gillard and Rudd were a strong team and eyes now turn to see how Gillard performs upfront. Gillard has the majority of the Labor party’s backing (it was reported that Rudd had as little as 25% of the party behind him) and even if you’re not interested in politics, you must take note of how significant this shift has been.

Victorian Premier John Brumby was ecstatic at the news that his former Chief of Staff was now the PM. It was no secret that Brumby and Rudd did not see eye to eye.

Gillard has declared that we will go to the polls in the next few months as she is aware that the people have not elected her has PM. Gillard has no plans to move into The Lodge anytime soon either, but instead plans to remain at her current residence.

I end this blog with a salute to Kevin Rudd: he introduced us to words like: “detailed programmatic specificity” and did what the Government before him could not: apologised to the Aboriginals and acknowledged that they had been wronged. He tried to implement actions for climate change, pushed for paid maternity leave and spoke (most of the time) like the common man (swearing and visits to strip clubs included). Rudd tried to break the trend of governments before him and in part, succeeded. But in the end, he lost confidence in his party and they in turn, deserted him.

As the bell tolls for Rudd, Julia Gillard steps into the role of Labor PM and has wasted no time in passing an olive branch to the mining companies, pulling the $38 million ad campaigns asking that they in return, can their retaliation campaigns. The mining companies have excepted.

So far so good for Gillard and her Labor constituents. But what is the feeling out their with you all? Are you sad to see the back of Rudd? Do you like Gillard as our PM? (Please note, I don’t care if she has green hair or purple, the way she looks, the colour of her hair, marital status and clothes DO NOT maketh a leader. So please do not post any ranger or sexist remarks here, leave that to your Facebook page.)