My Story

• It doesn’t explain everything; it doesn’t explain nothing.
• And it is for the nation to think in a sophisticated way about those shades of grey.
• And it is for the nation to think in a sophisticated way about those shades of grey.
• And if we have forgotten key aspects of the Gillard years, what does that partial amnesia say about us?

From ‘Juliar’ to feminist icon

• Controversies surrounding Labor MP Craig Thompson and Speaker Peter Slipper (selected for the role by Gillard) further undermined her standing.
• Her body was objectified in the public domain, and the shock jocks of commercial radio questioned the sexuality of her then partner.
• Not until 2014 – in the witness box of a royal commission, no less – was Gillard finally able to clear her name.

The misogyny speech

• But Gillard’s renowned misogyny speech was not an instant sensation in Australia.
• The context – a censure motion on the disgraced speaker Peter Slipper – was unpropitious, and when Gillard made her speech, the conservative press called her a hypocrite who now played the “gender card” for political expediency.
• A decade after its muted reception in Canberra, the speech is circulated on TikTok, featured in stage productions, and in 2020 it was even voted Australia’s most “unforgettable” television moment.

Star status

• It is ironic, then, that her transformation from untrustworthy politician to venerable feminist advocate depended on the media and celebrity industries.
• In her advocacy work as chair of the Global Partnership for Education she also rubbed shoulders with celebrities such as Rihanna.

The policy legacy

• Some of the less-savoury aspects of Gillard policy legacy have been forgotten for more convenient reasons.
• But policy legacies have also played a huge part in the revival of Gillard’s public standing.
• The subsequent policy debate has not hinged on the design of the scheme, but rather how best to fund it.

Between nostalgia and amnesia

• Above all else, Gillard’s status as Australia’s first woman prime minister and now a global women’s ambassador prevails.
• As a rule, she does not parade her views on contemporary politics before the public, except at a conceptual level.
• But when commentators refer to the decade of egos, ambitions and failed leaders, they are increasingly likely to elide her name entirely.
• People have been quick to wipe their hands clean of yesterday’s sexism in order to make Gillard yesterday’s heroine.