The final episode of The Killing Season aired on the ABC last night and what a sorry tale it told.
It was excruciating to watch the brutal machinations of the Australian Labor Party laid bare. Two Prime Ministers are only part of what the savage politicking cost.
Julia Gillard’s political demise was not explained by her being a woman. Betraying Kevin Rudd proved a fatal misstep that cannot be overlooked when considering her leadership.
But that doesn’t render her gender irrelevant. Because as last night’s episode captured with clarity Julia Gillard’s gender was never irrelevant. Did she make mistakes? Yes. Were some of them grave? Yes. Is that outside the realm of possibility and probability for leaders? No. Was she still entitled to respect? Yes.
Watching the leader of the opposition address a crowd, standing in front of a sign describing the Prime Minister as another man’s bitch, is no less extraordinary four years on. In reality it’s more extraordinary. Because the politician who deemed that an appropriate place to stand, is now the Prime Minister. One of his parliamentary colleagues who flanked Tony Abbott that day, with a look of glee in her eyes, is now the Speaker of the House.
Craig Emerson, former trade minister, was visibly distraught when recalling that day. “I felt like vomiting when I saw the signs. ‘Ditch the Witch’ is bad enough but, ‘Ju-liar’, ‘Bob Browns bitch’ is so deeply and utterly offensive.”
He is right. It is. There are some, I am sure, who will describe Emerson’s emotion as confected. A stunt. Another attempt to absolve Julia Gillard of any responsibility for her own shortcomings. I would urge anyone inclined that way to consider this. That it’s possible to disagree with someone and still treat them with dignity. To even dislike someone and afford them respect.
Julia Gillard was an imperfect leader who got things wrong. The Killing Season portrayed this fact perfectly and yet it doesn’t negate the wretchedness in watching the moment in time when Australian politics descended into deplorable territory.
Territory where one of Australia’s most influential broadcasters would announce that the Prime Minister’s recently passed father had died of shame. Territory where those in the crowd would applaud such cruelty. Territory where that same broadcaster would say Julia Gillard ought to be “put in a chaff bag” and taken out to sea.
It is heartbreaking, even as a bystander, to contemplate a nation like Australia accepting that nature of conduct in relation to anyone, let alone the Prime Minister. Is it anyone wonder that recalling that would bring a colleague and friend of Julia Gillard’s, like Craig Emerson, to tears?
The worst thing is Tony Abbott standing in front of those abhorrent signs is not merely a snapshot from sorrier times. It’s a window through to where we are now.
A place where Tony Abbott isn’t just the Prime Minister, but also the Minister for Women. A place where our federal cabinet includes just two women. A place where the minister for women’s greatest achievement for women is repealing the carbon tax.
A place where the LNP hosting its International Women’s Day event in a men’s-only club is lauded as “shattering the glass ceiling”.
A place where senators are asked if they’re married.
A place where our finance minister can describe the representation of women as a “side issue” without any repercussions.
A place where the prime minister’s “signature” policy for a more generous Paid Parental Leave isn’t just shelved, but the existing model is gutted.
A place where mothers who legitimately received paid parental leave are deemed rorters and double-dippers.
A place where women are less visible and less represented in federal politics than any time in recent history.
Julia Gillard told Sarah Ferguson in last night’s Killing Season episode “I really don’t know why that wasn’t a career ending moment for Tony Abbott – sexism is no better than racism”.
I know why it didn’t end Tony Abbott’s career. It wasn’t deemed a career-ending moment for many Australians. For many Australians Tony Abbott standing in front a sign declaring the Prime Minister to be a bitch was a lesser offence than anything Gillard had done. For many Australians sexism is acceptable.
That’s the implicit message Australians have sent Tony Abbott in electing him to be our Prime Minister: we are ok with sexism. In delivering Tony Abbott to power, whether it’s the message we wanted to send or not, that’s the message we’ve given.
And that is the sorriest part of Labor’s sordid killing season.