Australia Has the First Female Prime Minister

[SirJosephPorter]

Australia has the reputation as a manly, macho place. I didn’t think there would be a female PM there in my life time. But they have a female PM now, Ms. Julia Gillard.

She is a 48 years old miner’s daughter, whose parents emigrated from Wales (they both still have think Welsh accents).

She was the Deputy PM until now. The Labour Party became dissatisfied with Mr. Rudd, the PM. The Party staged a sort of coup and Ms. Gillard was elected the PM.

Britain had the first PM in the form of Mrs. Thatcher. We have never had a female PM in Canada (I don’t think Kim Campbell really counts) and I don’t see one on the horizon.

'Ten Pound Pom' becomes Australia's prime minister - Telegraph

 

[JLM]

Australia has the reputation as a manly, macho place. I didn’t think there would be a female PM there in my life time. But they have a female PM now, Ms. Julia Gillard.

She is a 48 years old miner’s daughter, whose parents emigrated from Wales (they both still have think Welsh accents).

She was the Deputy PM until now. The Labour Party became dissatisfied with Mr. Rudd, the PM. The Party staged a sort of coup and Ms. Gillard was elected the PM.

Britain had the first PM in the form of Mrs. Thatcher. We have never had a female PM in Canada (I don’t think Kim Campbell really counts) and I don’t see one on the horizon.

'Ten Pound Pom' becomes Australia's prime minister - Telegraph

Time will tell if she has the "balls" to do a man's job. Maggie Thatcher managed it without many problems, so I don't see why not.

 

[Cliffy]

Maggie had Iron Balls and they gave her a swagger that would make John Wayne jealous.

 

[Walter]

Rudd was a useless lefty that wanted to tax the Aussie mining companies out of existence. We'll see if this new broad is any better.

 

[FiveParadox]

Congratulations are indeed in order on such a historic occasion.

Four days ago, Her Excellency Ms. Quentin Bryce A.C., the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, extended an invitation for The Honourable Julia Gillard M.P. (Lalor) to become the Prime Minister of Australia and to form a Government in the name of Her Majesty the Queen of Australia. Having both a female representative of the head of State, and a female head of Government, indicates quite clearly that Australia cares for gender equity; and let us hope that other nations follow suit.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

Britain had the first PM in the form of Mrs. Thatcher. We have never had a female PM in Canada (I don’t think Kim Campbell really counts) and I don’t see one on the horizon.

So what makes you think Kim Campbell doesn't count? There are a couple of parallels here. Campbell also had a distinguished carreer in law, held high cabinet posts, and was appointed by her party before an election, a win that was hers to lose, but lose it she did. Let's see if Ms. Gillard survives the upcoming elelction.

As for Margret Thatcher being the first female PM, what of Indira Ghandi, Golda Meir, or Banazir Bhutto, the first female leader of a Muslim country, no small achievment.

 

[Walter]

Four days ago, Her Excellency Ms. Quentin Bryce A.C., the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, extended an invitation for The Honourable Julia Gillard M.P. (Lalor) to become the Prime Minister of Australia and to form a Government in the name of Her Majesty the Queen of Australia. Having both a female representative of the head of State, and a female head of Government, indicates quite clearly that Australia cares for gender equity; and let us hope that other nations follow suit.

Gender equity has dick(sic) to do with it. Typical lefty speak.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

So what makes you think Kim Campbell doesn't count? There are a couple of parallels here. Campbell also had a distinguished carreer in law, held high cabinet posts, and was appointed by her party before an election, a win that was hers to lose, but lose it she did. Let's see if Ms. Gillard survives the upcoming elelction.

Kim Campbell’s credentials are not in question, She was fully qualified, quite capable and under ordinary circumstances, may well have made a good PM, we don’t know. But she was put up as a sacrificial lamb in place of Mulroney.

Mulroney didn’t have the guts to face an angry electorate, so he turned tail and ran away. Nobody really wanted to take his place; the two candidates were Campbell and Charest, both relatively unknown.

Nobody really expected Campbell to win the election, and she didn’t. She was offered up as a sacrificial lamb in place of Mulroney. I don’t think she counts.

As for Margret Thatcher being the first female PM, what of Indira Ghandi, Golda Meir, or Banazir Bhutto, the first female leader of a Muslim country, no small achievment.

Then there was Mrs. Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, there was the female PM of Bangladesh (another Muslim country), plus may be couple others that I might have missed.

Referring to Mrs. Thatcher as the first PM just shows the euro centricity of some posters.

Maggie had Iron Balls and they gave her a swagger that would make John Wayne jealous.

The problem was that she had too many balls, that is what got her into trouble in the end. She suffered the ignominy of being the first (and so far only) PM in British history to be booted out by her own party, when she didn’t want to go.

In fact, Tories there carried out a similar coup as the Australian Labour Party, when Mrs. Thatcher was abroad; they started the machinery to get rid of her. She returned home in a hurry, but it didn’t do her any good, her party threw her out anyway.

 

[Goober]

Topic should read - First Female PM but not having faced the electorate.
A coup brought her into the job.

 

[TenPenny]

Wasn't Indira Ghandi first?

Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada. Whether or not some self-important person wants to believe it or not, the fact remains that she was PM. She was elected to be leader of the PC party, when the PC party was the government, and she was sworn in as PM. To suddenly decide that 'she doesn't count' for some reason puts on in the same category as the birthers who try to find some reason to believe Obama isn't qualified to be PotUS.

 

[Knowzilla]

If anyone is interested in seeing a video of the main part of the appointment and swearing in ceremony of new Australian Prime Minister, here it is:

Julia Gillard sworn in as Prime Minister

Many Australians would probably have though they would never she the day a female Governor-General appointing and swearing in a female Prime Minister. Especially Australia's first female GG and first female PM. But it did happen.

 

[JLM]

Wasn't Indira Ghandi first?

Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada. Whether or not some self-important person wants to believe it or not, the fact remains that she was PM. She was elected to be leader of the PC party, when the PC party was the government, and she was sworn in as PM. To suddenly decide that 'she doesn't count' for some reason puts on in the same category as the birthers who try to find some reason to believe Obama isn't qualified to be PotUS.

Of course Kim Campbell "counts" and had timing and circumstances been different I think she may have done well, but Lyin' Brian screwed up any chances for that. Same thing for Ujjal Dosanjh as Premier of B.C. after Glen Clark.

 

[Machjo]

Time will tell if she has the "balls" to do a man's job. Maggie Thatcher managed it without many problems, so I don't see why not.

Thatcher was more of a man than most.:lol:

 

[Goober]

Wasn't Indira Ghandi first?

Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada. Whether or not some self-important person wants to believe it or not, the fact remains that she was PM. She was elected to be leader of the PC party, when the PC party was the government, and she was sworn in as PM. To suddenly decide that 'she doesn't count' for some reason puts on in the same category as the birthers who try to find some reason to believe Obama isn't qualified to be PotUS.

Yes she was PM - My comment was that she has not faced the electorate - that is the decider - not a coup as was mounted from party ranks - and no I am not a self important person - the point was and still is legitimate whether you agree or not is up to you.

And I am not a "Birther"
Obama was Elected.

So stop trying to associate or paint me with something that I am not.

Thank you

 

[TenPenny]

Yes she was PM - My comment was that she has not faced the electorate - that is the decider - not a coup as was mounted from party ranks - and no I am not a self important person - the point was and still is legitimate whether you agree or not is up to you.

And I am not a "Birther"
Obama was Elected.

So stop trying to associate or paint me with something that I am not.

Thank you

What on earth made you think that was directed at you? Why don't you go back and read the thread before you get all pissy.

 

[Goober]

What on earth made you think that was directed at you? Why don't you go back and read the thread before you get all pissy.

Well then where was it directed. it was posted right after I made a post - How else would i look at it - If I am in error i apologize.

And I was not pissy - I am trying to be a nicer poster.

What on earth made you think that was directed at you? Why don't you go back and read the thread before you get all pissy.

Found it - I do apologize - Taken the wrong way - I found what you were referring to.

Again - My apologies.

 

[JLM]

Thatcher was more of a man than most.:lol:

Yeah, I guess Maggie was probably what every country could use for a leader, sure didn't take any crap and was decisive with the FAlklands. :smile::smile:

 

[Goober]

Yeah, I guess Maggie was probably what every country could use for a leader, sure didn't take any crap and was decisive with the FAlklands. :smile::smile:

And Unions

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Wasn't Indira Ghandi first?

Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada. Whether or not some self-important person wants to believe it or not, the fact remains that she was PM. She was elected to be leader of the PC party, when the PC party was the government, and she was sworn in as PM. To suddenly decide that 'she doesn't count' for some reason puts on in the same category as the birthers who try to find some reason to believe Obama isn't qualified to be PotUS.

I think Mrs. Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka may have been before Mes. Gandhi. I know that Golda Meir of Israel was before Mrs. Gandhi.

Campbell was the PM and nobody is disputing that. She became the PM under such conditions that she was bound to lose the next election. So I don't think it was such an important advance for the women fo Canada.

If anyone is interested in seeing a video of the main part of the appointment and swearing in ceremony of new Australian Prime Minister, here it is:

Julia Gillard sworn in as Prime Minister

Many Australians would probably have though they would never she the day a female Governor-General appointing and swearing in a female Prime Minister. Especially Australia's first female GG and first female PM. But it did happen.

Indeed, that is what I said in my opening post. Australia has the reputation as being a macho, manly country, where men are men and women are women (I don't know if the reputation is deserved or not). So it was all the more surprising to see a female PM emerge in Australia.

Of course Kim Campbell "counts" and had timing and circumstances been different I think she may have done well, but Lyin' Brian screwed up any chances for that. Same thing for Ujjal Dosanjh as Premier of B.C. after Glen Clark.

Such figures come to power under fortuitous circumstances, with no chance of winning an election. So I don't think their victories are all that important. I understand that Ms. Gillard has a reasonable chance of winning the next election.

Thatcher was more of a man than most.:lol:

There was a joke going around about Thatcher. I may have told it before but I think it bears retelling.

Mrs. Thatcher and her cabinet ministers went to a restaurant for dinner. The waiter came to take the order. Mrs. Thatcher placed her order.

“A steak, medium rare with baked potato.”

“What about your vegetables?”

“Oh, they will have fish and chips.”

Yeah, I guess Maggie was probably what every country could use for a leader, sure didn't take any crap and was decisive with the FAlklands. :smile::smile:

She won the second term purely because of Falklands war. Before the war, she was going down to defeat.

 

[AnnaG]

Good on ya, Oz.