So I'm really probably the last person you should ask about politics, but even I can't help hearing a bit of the buzz surrounding the very hasty recent shift of power. A few of the comments I've heard include:
- Kevin Rudd was really stabbed in the back. He was ousted by the very people who put him in power because he lost favor with them. He'd wanted the job for ages, teared up when he gave his official speech and Australians, in their love of the underdog, feel for him. They see cruel ads ripping off his situation (his picture with "dumped recently?" ads for dating services, for example) and are suitably scandalized.
- Australians elect a party, not a person. This is technically true, but in actual practice at the last election, the people elected "Kevin 07."
- The fact that Australia has its first female PM gets mixed reviews. Some say it's a step in the right direction for women; others that it's actually a bit of a step backwards, particularly if she loses the next election, because the people (see previous point) didn't actually elect her. She was forced upon them, and does not actually reflect Australia's choices. If she loses, things'll look even worse for women.
- No one seems to like Tony Abbott, who is the guy fairly likely to go up against Julia Gillard at the next election. At least, no one seems like his personality. Some agree with his politics.
- Australians are on a first-name basis with their politicians. Americans tend to use last names -- Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama -- whereas Australians talk about Kevin, Julia and Tony. Occasionally they'll throw in "Howard" with John (the PM before Rudd), but only because John's name is so common.
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