OUT DAMNED MISOGYNY

Opposition Treasurer and temporary ALP leader, Chris Bowen said it all in 2 mins. 

Once upon a time, for 3 years and 3 days not so long ago the Australian Labor Party caucus in Government chose a female leader Julia Gillard to be Australia's first woman Prime Minister.

The fact is, she managed to secure 590 pieces of legislation including Parental Paid Leave, National Disability Insurance Scheme, and Pricing carbon to reduce greenhouse gases - and thus adapt and protect the community and future generations from catastrophe.

It may not have been a road easily for the former P.M. but she knows that the patriarchal power structures take much more than ability and merit to enable female fraternity at the power sharing.

Tory Tony Abbott has been elected in a 2013 campaign where he was allowed to avoid discussion, detail and costs of policy, and now as Prime Minister he says he is disappointed there is only room one woman around his cabinet table, but he knows they are knocking on his door wanting to get in!(some who have more merit than the chosen men). 

It could be an inconvenient truth, for these M.P's that structural reform in the Liberal and National Parties similar to what the ALP did 20 years ago would create a picture of a cabinet table with one man and the rest women! God forbid.

ASPIRATIONAL WOMEN OF THE 17TH CENTURY WHO WANTED TO MOVE HOUSE TO WESTMINSTER......

A satirical woodcut response in a pamphlet of 1646 of women getting the vote and running parliament to talk about fashion.

As I have been researching and writing a novel set during the English Civil War and the developments of Westminster Parliament which we retain today I am gob-smacked by the blatant disrespect and ignorance of the current Liberal/National party men who maintain the idea appointments are made on merit and democratic process! 

Royalist Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the Westminster Constitutional (Anglican) Monarchy tradition will be the first among equals....said his colleague, Australian Republican, now Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull.

I suspect a deep unconscious act at play in Abbott's selection of two 'Bishops' (Bronwyn and Julie). Self-styled adornments don't mind being the only woman in the room; Getting their way with  
with decorative costumery and shiny lips.
I conjure a picture of those early Feudal times when religion and monarchy and politicians paced and lobbied for sponsors as they continue now at the Whitehouse and our White Canberra palace. May the best man win, and the token woman.
.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Sexual Abuse proves you just can't rely on hierarchies of men to protect the interests and safety of all in the society.

M.P's shuffle off to prayer group in Parliament House because they are so Christian, but if it wasn't for Feminist women and social justice activists the revelations of victims of abuse would still be locked away. No apologies.

http://julie-mcneill.blogspot.com.au/p/who-were-bastards.html

400 years after the thousands of English women demonstrated and petitioned Westminster for political representation it is still an issue! 

In 1648 Leveller women demonstrated in London, calling for equal rights for women and presenting a petition. In 1649 ten thousand Leveller women signed a second women's petition to parliament. It is particularly notable because the writers claimed for all women an equal political voice with men:

Since we are assured of our creation in the image of God, of an interest in Christ equal unto men, as also of a proportionate share in the freedoms of the commonwealth, we cannot but wonder and grieve that we should appear so despicable in your eyes as to be thought unworthy to petition or represent our grievances to this honourable House.

 link to history of women

It is a historical and present day fact if the executive decision makers don't have quotas/positive discrimination/affirmative action to break through the structural gender barriers nothing changes.

Liberal women have been brain-washed to think selection is based on merit alone, despite the evidence of history. Blokes employ blokes whether board-rooms, managers, candidates for parliament, or Nobel Laureates.

Tony Abbott's 'Back to Basics' doesn't include Science either. Another significant message that Myths not Rationality rule, and no way do they want to be challenged in this by another woman. Julia Gillard articulated in Parliament the root of all evasion was from Abbott's misogyny.

He, the pugilist trained Jesuit scholar and politician has chosen to bunk down in the defense barracks for a year whilst the Lodge is being renovated.

Our new leader has worked his butt off to achieve the throne of power and privilege but still maintains he is a humble man of the seminary, praying to be delivered from sinful temptations,  preferring a different cloister of blokes in uniforms of authority.

A single, austere bedroom for a self-sacrificing monk - he doesn't need his virginal white daughters and goodwife Margie on his arm until the next election? 

Dear Lord, deliver him from a balls-up of the country over the next 3 years. 

I meanwhile have Party branch minutes to type up and e-mail for our next meeting which will be a de-brief of the Federal election, but also about some democratic reform to party rules to allow ordinary members a vote for the next ALP leader. 

                            ALP life-membership to a member of our branch who couldn't have ever imagined when he joined up over 50 years ago there would be a woman Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard and female Queensland Premier Anna Bligh!

Qld State Conference 2010.

ALP National President Jenny Mcallister on gender balance in Parliaments of Australia  at this link. Political Passion with Compassion.

ESSAY BY FORMER LABOR P.M. JULIA GILLARD

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my herstorical novel in process