Stop calling us sexist, ya bloody shielas!

Ah Australian politics … It's been too long since my last update, mostly because I am focussing on good health this year and commenting on the situation is rubbish for my blood pressure. However, you may have seen some of the news coverage regarding Prime Minister Julia Gillard's recent speech in parliament where she called out the Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott for his pervasive sexism and misogyny. In case you missed it, here's a link (it's 15 minutes, but there's some fabulous fury):

And here's the transcript for those who dislike video. Now, you might wonder why she's so very cross. To begin with, let's start with a recap of this image from last year:


Yes, kids, that's the Leader of the Opposition standing in front of signs both depicting the female Prime Minister as Bob Brown's Bitch (Brown being the then-leader of the Greens) and demanding we Ditch the Witch. Abbott won an award for sexist behaviour for that one, known as an Ernie (one of nine he's collected over the years).

Those two women standing beside him are senior members of his own party, too. Shame. See the one on the left? That's Bronwyn Bishop, who today said that Gillard was 'pathetic', and had 'demeaned every woman in parliament' by 'playing the gender card', adding that if she couldn't 'stand the heat, she should get out of the kitchen'. Nice.

And no, 'Juliar' isn't from the same stable of ungrammatical commentary as the missed possessive apostrophe in Browns, it's a 'clever nickname' dreamt up by this man (himself an Ernie winner):

This is Alan Jones. Let's talk about him for a minute.


( Oh, this goes on. And on. )

And in brief …

Far too long spent being cross about politics, which has left me with not enough time to beat up the universe on behalf of _inbetween_ (you were warned, universe) or crack on with my hols fic, so instead, allow me to quickly say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to marguerite_26, acromantular and phoenixacid. You three are so bloody spectacular that I can see how people would believe in astrology, what with the shared birthday and all. I hope that you all have a brilliant day, and that the entire year plays out in a similar fashion. Failing that, may your enemies find their favourite shoes gnawed upon by escaped weasels and may you find the missing pairs to all those socks (returned in the night by said weasels, most likely).

Right, bed before 2am. I have 73 seconds …