It’s fair to say that former Labor Prime Minister, Julia Gillard has been quiet during the 2022 Federal Election Campaign.
Unlike other former PMs like Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott, and even Paul Keating, we haven’t seen her get involved in policy debates or commentary up till now.
However, Gillard showed there’s an issue she’s willing to stick her neck out for before we cast votes next weekend: The endorsement of ACT Labor Senate candidate and Shadow Finance Minister, Katy Gallagher.
In a letter to ACT residents as well as a recorded video, Gillard noted her recent reluctance to “talk about politics” but said Gallagher deserved the continuing support of Canberrans.
“There’s been a lot of talk about independents recently,” Gillard said. “What our federal parliament needs is more strong, experienced women. And that’s why I believe the choice you face this election matters so much.”
She added that Canberra voters “have the opportunity to make sure we keep one of our best, brightest and strongest women in the Senate”.
“Katy Gallagher is more than just a good friend to me, she is a strong advocate for the values that matter to Canberrans,” she said. “That’s why I would encourage you to ask yourself this question before you cast your vote – can I really risk losing someone like Katy from the Senate? To me, the answer is clear, and that’s why I’m asking you to put Katy Gallagher number 1 on the Senate ballot paper”.
Gallagher is a popular Senator in the ACT, and for the past 50 years, the two ACT Senate spots have only been held by the Labor and Liberal parties.
In 2022 however, two high profile Independents are contesting spots, with former rugby union star and lawyer, David Pocock barrelling ahead in popularity. Constitutional law professor, Kim Rubenstein is also well known in the nation’s capital. They’re vying to replace the Liberal incumbent, Zed Seselja.
Pocock told The Guardian recently that his impetus to run stemmed from seeing so many Canberra residents ignored. “We are such a safe seat, as a result of that we’ve had a huge underinvestment in infrastructure” he said.
Both Gallagher and Pocock support Canberra’s transition to 100 percent renewable energy as well as a federal anti-corruption body– two issues front and centre for ACT voters ahead of next weekend’s vote.