Tall Poppy Syndrome or Just Nasty Business

I have starting reading 'The Stalking of Julia Gillard' by Kerry-Anne Walsh, which is a story of 'How the media and Kevin Rudd brought down the Prime Minister'.   It is Kerry-Anne's personal observations of the events over three years that eventually forced Julia Gillard to step down as Prime Minister of Australia.   Although I thought the book was a bit cobbled together, it is nevertheless a powerful  statement about what happened to Julia Gillard.  At the moment I have only managed to read a third of the book, as it is such depressing reading, a tale of viciousness, nastiness and relentless undermining of a female prime minister.

I observed two events, when visiting Australia, which portrayed Julia Gillard as feeble and silly.  The first event occurred during Barack Obama's visit to Australia, when the cameras constantly focused on Julia Gillard, in a way that made her look like an adoring puppy.   The second event occurred during the Aboriginal protests on Australia Day, 2012, when she left a function quickly in order to avoid a confrontation with the protesters.   She lost a shoe in the scuffle, and there was so much focus on this, which made her look feeble and vulnerable.

The Tall Poppy Syndrome?  The Australian habit of cutting down their successful people, their 'tall poppies', especially when it is considered that the person is getting too tall.  So anyone who is clever, capable, talented and successful, is likely to become a victim of this syndrome.   Was this the case with Julia Gillard?   Did the media giants, Murdoch and Fairfax want to get rid of her?  Did they see her as being just too successful and dangerous?

But Kevin Rudd, certainly played a significant part, in the taking down of Julia Gillard.   He had been displaced by her, as leader of the Labour Party, and he was determined to get back into the role as Prime Minister, which he considered was rightfully his.    And he played to the press, and to the media giants, Fairfax in particular.

So Kevin Rudd, volatile and unreasonable with his staff, a person who made some very poor decisions in the past, but who has the necessary charisma and public voice, finally managed to get his position back.

But after starting to read 'The Stalking of Julia Gillard' I have no faith in Kevin Rudd, as leader of the Labour Government.   As far as I am concerned his credibility is zero.