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

http://facebook.com/englishrepublicans
my herstorical novel in process

KEEP CALM: TONY ABBOT IS NOT P.M. YET

KEVIN RUDD M.P. won the hearts and minds of Australians who could vote, and couldn't vote, though they would make sure they were enrolled to do so next time.

Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke had the same effect in 1983. It was my virginal vote just turned 20. 
My sense of empowerment was quashed when an official said I wasn't registered!
I assumed as soon as I turned 18 my name would automatically go on the roll!
Nobody had told me, and I was a recent immigrant. I was very disappointed, but I learned my lesson...

Kevin 07 attracted new voters and new branch members - when he was sacked by caucus on June 23, 2010 members resigned and voters despaired, and I haven't heard people say his replacement, Julia Gillard has repaired this feeling.

THE SHOCK of caucus getting rid of Kevin Rudd - their Prime Minister during his term was a disastrous decision. Even today, out in the Brisbane Valley market stalls people come up to me and are upset at what our party did no matter what the reasons were. 
I don't think caucus members have fully realised the depth of grief which was experienced - so much so that a wrong has to be righted.

So what if Kevin had a few low polls - and a few colleagues 
were finding him 'a nightmare' to work with - the fact is, the ALP will get more 'cred' by fixing the karmic wheel. 
We still have good guiding principles and agenda (apart from the human cruelty of extended mandatory detention for refugees).

The leadership crisis reminds me of the overwhelming poll results during the Republican referendum and convention where there was a popular desire for a directly elected Australian President. 
The people want to vote for their leaders. 

The challenge and consequence

The Australian Labor Party can nobly allow a revolution of change in the rules of the Party and Caucus powers, or the  rift could turn into another Split like I've only heard about.

Democratising the Party organisation and caucus will attract new members who what to have a say with a vote that counts, because it is always about the Numbers.

Proof is in the social democratic pudding. The real fair go, mate:

If the comrades keep bickering, the Greens will further flourish with the fertiliser of former Labor members (possibly my husband and I included).

Rudd the revolutionary with the puritan dagginess is a star on the ground, everywhere he goes. I don't really fancy seeing him come out of Church every Sunday again...but I'd be interested to know what the dreams of the collective conciousness this end of Summer's night are...
Ministers et al are politicians and are adept at showing a willingness to adapt and compromise.

Accepting Kevin Rudd back is nothing compared to the truth and adaptation to climate change, acidification of the oceans, y'know  - 'the greatest moral challenge' of all. Both the ALP and global warming could be the death of us once great stars.

Caucus wizen up to this grander Nature, and work for the broad progressive purpose, which Anthony Albanese spoke about, and fight off those Tories?

If party members can't switch so feelings subside and allow the people's decision to be righted we can give the keys to the Lodge to Tony Abbot and conservative cohorts to undo what Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard and team accomplished which the Liberal and Nationals couldn't have even envisioned.

The people want respect for their choices - and nobody is immune from foolish ones. We make mistakes, we can forgive and grant a second chance to K. Rudd to do better.

With such mature wisdom of the elder role models, what a great way to attract young voters to the ALP cause!

Let Australians vote for an Australian Republic with a directly elected President, and let them  have Kevin Rudd back as Prime Minister with all his spit and polish. 


KEVIN 08

           BOUNDARY CHANGES - from DICKSON to BLAIR - held by Shayne Neuman MP. 

KEVIN 09

Where I live is blissful - sometimes free
Of guilt, living a life of bohemian luxury;

Lazin' on a sunny Queenslander verandah

Any day of the week, gainfully unemployed.

Top 20 Kinks memories of Nan & Grandad's

Transistor radio on soft grass, bees buzzing around

The Snapdragons, living a life so pleasantly...

This bliss right now, arrived with thoughts about

Non-judgement amidst the honey-eater songs,

After the neighbours race away in a new,

Shiny Porsche to their horse stables,

Worried about virus attacks, carried by bats.

I read in the 'Weekend Australian'

Our P.M. telling the Nation - 

The old Left/Right is an 'anachronism'

Which is baffling.

Bliss, I fear may be over as quickly as it

Settled like pollen, as sudden as shattered

Naivety, shook so my petals drop off.

Best to enjoy this hour before the old

Left/Right binary tugs my blogging heart.

When Westminster exploded and evolved a bit - 1641 Civil wars - pamphlet by Henry Peacham - thanks to www.1642goodwyfe.wordpress.com