Julia Gillard Australian Prime Minister

The biggest news for Australia this year is the resignation of Kevin Rudd to our new Prime Minister Julia Gillard who was sworn in on the 24th June 2010.

Julia Gillard accepted the Labor Leadership with humility, resolve and enthusiasm and told the public that she "had to step up" to a "government that had lost it's way". Interesting words from the lady 2nd in charge of this "lost" government.

Kevin Rudd bowed out of the planned leadership ballot, and later that day gave an emotional resignation speech.

It's seems incredible that the most overwhelming win in our history of politics has come to such an end. Is it part of a game plan for Labor?

Many will blame it on the unstable economy and the tough decisions that were required to be made during Kevin Rudd's term. But was it really that the Australian public were ready for a "change" from John Howard that brought labor into power?

And are Labor now trying to save face from some of the most costly decisions Australia has seen.

While it's a momentous occasion to the women of Australia to have a female Prime Minister, we should not let the theatrics of events cloud our judgement. Have we just replaced one puppet with another? And who are these right wing politicians that seem to have control over the party? And what is their real agenda? Is the mining deal what broke the Rudd's back or is it just a Labor game plan for the upcoming election... a popularity contest?

Julia Gillard's ability to run the country is not in question, you don't get to be 2nd in charge without doing the work, but the greater concern is what "deals" are going on behind those closed doors between fraction leaders & unions and what does this mean to the Australian public.

While on the 7.30 Report last night Ms Gillard answered - "If your question to me is have I engaged in making any deals or arrangements to secure anyone's support for this position as Prime Minister - I have not,". That's great, but it does not exclude other Labor party members. While TV series like 'West Wing' may be fiction, it does give food for thought on what potentially goes on behind the scenes... and that deals are a very real part of politics.

We know that Kevin Rudd has dropped in opinion poll and that many of the labor party were concerned for their seats for this election year. So a change of face is the right tactic for the Labor party.

So let's break down what the new Prime Minister Julia Gillard brings to the seat.

1. Asylum seekers - while she understands the fears Australians have for the illegal boat arrivals Julia Gillard also said she would not "lurch to the right".
Translation - no change during the rest of Julia Gillard's government term this year.
Border control affects all Australians, shouldn't it be put to a referendum?

2. Climate change - no immediate change. A broken promise by Kevin Rudd to throw everything at Climate change to "make it work, and try to deliver an outcome at home and abroad", but 2 months later Kevin Rudd walked away. Julia Gillard talks of a commitment to a "price on carbon" and for community consensus on climate change.
Climate change effects us all as will a price on carbon, shouldn't this also go to Referendum?

3. Mining Tax - Was this what the change of leadership is all about?

The only thing that Julia Gillard has promised to do during her temporary term is re-negotiate the mining tax levy. She has suspending the governments Mining Tax advertising campaigns, believing she has established some goodwill that will open the doors of negotiation. As Australia's primary export, and a natural resource that belongs to all Australians, we know now that the Mining industry can afford to pay more tax but will they... should they?

Export & Import tax is something that the general public know very little about, but are crucial to our economy's stability. Why then are both governments so keen to relax the import laws on countries like China, that can only offer us a future in unemployment. As consumers we enjoy a bargin, but next time you shop have a think of what you are really buying? Unemployment! By choosing imported goods, sure we get a little more for our money now, but once importers take over the market and put Australians out of jobs, don't be naive... the prices will rise again. Most most concerning is produce, did you know that Apples are on there way from China hitting our shelves later this year and that they are full of pestisides that do not pass our Australian health standards. Will you put a pestiside apple in your child's lunchbox? How will you know? Retailers are not forced to show signs of where produce comes from.Buy Australian, it's the only way to secure our future!

We elect leaders in the hope that they know what they are doing and they goven "in our best interest". But politians are humans - and humans make mistakes, the Rudd government's was:
1. the housing/roofing debarkle.
2. the school funding rollout - while great in theory, the rollout was too impulsive and has resulted in wasted tax-payer dollars, with inflated building prices & the creation of many buildings that wasteful or useless to schools. Not to mention the huge Australian deficit.

We wish Julia Gillard luck in her remaining term, it's a positive for women in Australia to have a female leader. But while some seem to focus on Julia Gillard's hair and fashion, most of your public will be watching to see if you have any strings. Good Luck!