PRIME MINISTER JULIA GILLARD HAS MADE PERSONAL ATTACKS ON OPPOSITION LEADER TONY ABBOTT. HERALD SUN Sorry Prime Minister, gender is not on the agenda
Jeff Kennett Herald Sun December 26, 2012
I HAVE often wondered why the Prime Minister continually gives the Opposition Leader more attention and air time than seems appropriate.
Recently, in an answer to a question, Julia Gillard referred to Tony Abbott by name 27 times. That is extraordinary, almost obsessive.
I was always instructed when learning my political trade that you never give your opponent any air time at all. Even more so when you were in office.
A leader concentrates on the positives of office and leadership.
Let the Opposition work hard for their own media coverage.
Gillard seems to have become obsessed with Abbott.
She and her advisers have obviously decided that the only way to be competitive at next year's election is to destroy Abbott personally.
And that she should be the main attack dog.
Again, that turns on its head conventional political practice.
That is, if you want to destabilise a political opponent, have some of your senior colleagues do the attacking.
The leader of the party, the prime minister or premier, should remain statesman-like and let the minions do any unsavoury work.
Clearly not in Gillard's case.
She leads the attack constantly mentioning Abbott by name.
There is a second issue at play in the Prime Minister's personal attacks on Abbott.
She is trying to turn the next election into a gender war.
In short, all women should support her because she better understands, appreciates and connects with women than Abbott.
Hence, in part, the extraordinary parliamentary attack on Abbott as a misogynist.
Nothing could be further from the truth of a person who is married, has three daughters, employs as his chief of staff an intelligent woman and who works closely with his party deputy, who is also an intelligent woman.
I have described Gillard's attack as the most cowardly, politically motivated act I have witnessed by a leader of any political party in my adult life.
It demeaned the high office she occupies.
It indicated to me that Gillard is not a fit and proper person to occupy that office.
But it is only in recent weeks, through comments and activities, that it has all fallen into place for me.
The PM, having failed to cement a class war against some of our most successful businessmen and women, is now trying for a gender war.
She is making a mistake that will add only further pain to her and her party in the next general election.
Yes, there have been and will be some women who applaud the campaign Gillard is now waging to vilify Abbott.
But most of those will already be her supporters.
It is true some women do not warm to Abbott's presentation, the way he talks, because he lives for being fit or because of some of his policies - but is that not true of us all?
I do not know of any politician who is universally loved or appreciated.
In the past few weeks I have spoken to many women of different ages and in most cases have not known their political preference.
I have asked them when it comes to the next election what are the issues that will influence their vote.
Surprise surprise, the issues are not much different from the issues expressed by men.
Women want security and certainty.
They want jobs for themselves, partners or children.
They want good health and education services.
Importantly they want to be able to afford to live their lives within the income they or their household earns.
They want as much as possible to be free of government interference in their lives. And importantly, they overwhelmingly want a sense of hope.
The gender war that Julia Gillard is driving was not a factor in anyone's comments.
They want good government, a government they can respect, and they know the difference between good government and bad government.
Forget the opinion polls; forget the standing in those polls of the leaders.
I get the feeling when people enter the polling booth at the next election, their one major consideration will be: "Do we want more of the same for the next three years?"
Kevin Rudd and Gillard have had their chance to earn a right to re-election. Rudd was cut down by his own and Gillard has led an administration more dysfunctional than any charge that was levelled at Rudd by his own people and for which he was removed.
REGARDLESS of what the polls say now or in 10 months, unless Gillard can stop the personal hectoring that has been her trademark this year, to become a leader the majority of Australians can trust and admire, she will lead her colleagues to defeat.
And women will be leading the charge, because in many ways they feel the immediacy of life more regularly and personally than men.
I have always said politicians need to serve a political apprenticeship somewhere between 15 and 20 years before assuming the leadership of government.
Abbott by next year will have served 19 years in the Federal Parliament.
He has served with John Howard as a senior minister and Leader of the House, he has served as Opposition Leader for some years - and that is the toughest job in parliamentary life - and he is intelligent.
Yes, some may not warm to him, but the same can be said of the Prime Minister. What is true is that whenever the next election is held, men and women will be voting in the main as they do at every election: on the performance of the government and its leader.
And any leader who has forgotten why they lead, becomes obsessed with personalities and becomes spiteful in pursuit of those they target, is at great risk of being given a new career opportunity by those who employ them. Class warfare and gender campaigns, while they might provide some short-term excitement, they do not deliver long-term support or solutions.
Common sense and decency will prevail, as always.
Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria
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