Kevin07 and the Real Julia: Labor' S Use of Political Branding in 2007 and 2010

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Kevin07 and the Real Julia: Labor' S Use of Political Branding in 2007 and 2010 KEVIN07 AND THE REAL JULIA: LABOR’ S USE OF POLITICAL BRANDING IN 2007 AND 2010 LORANN MARGARET DOWNER Masters Degree in Governance, Policy and Public Affairs A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2014 The School of Political Science and International Studies ABSTRACT The Australian Labor Party and its leaders increasingly have been viewed as brands since their winning election campaign in 2007. This work tests claims that Labor and former Labor Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard deliberately attempted branding in the ‘Kevin07’ campaign of 2007 and “the real Julia” campaign of 2010. Building on extant literature, I develop three tools - the concept of the brand oriented party, a model of political branding in Australia and a Political Branding Checklist - to conceptualise, identify and evaluate political branding. I marry these tools with qualitative and quantitative data from interviews with Labor practitioners, Labor television commercials and ABC television news to evaluate planning and performance for each campaign. I conclude that Labor, or at least sections of the party, did deliberately employ branding in the 2007 and 2010 campaigns. In 2007, Labor crafted the ‘Kevin07’ brand for Rudd in a co-branding strategy with the weaker party brand, in a strategic and disciplined campaign. In 2010, Labor deployed Gillard as the dominant offering and the party had little presence. The brand strategy was hastily conceived and unevenly executed during a difficult campaign. In both cases, Labor sought a brand orientation during the campaign but failed to maintain it in government. Further, I conclude that Labor’s branding efforts contributed to the successes and failures of their campaigns and governments. These, and other conclusions, point to an overarching lesson for practitioners and researchers - the need to fully engage with the concept of branding to best employ and understand this new way of doing politics. i DECLARATION BY AUTHOR This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland, immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. ii PUBLICATIONS DURING CANDIDATURE Publications Downer, Lorann. 2014. ‘Case Study 2.1 Positioning for Power in Australia’ and ‘Case Study 4.3 Personal and party logos in the Kevin07 campaign’. In Political Marketing: principles and applications, 2nd ed, ed. J. Lees-Marshment. Oxon: Routledge. Conference papers and presentations Downer, Lorann. 2013a. ‘Political Branding In Australia: A Conceptual Model’. Paper presented at the United Kingdom Political Studies Association Annual International Conference, Cardiff. Downer, Lorann. 2013b. ‘Position, Position, Position: Labor's Presentation in the 2007 and 2010 Australian Election Campaigns’. Presentation at the New Zealand and Australia Political Marketing and Management Workshop, Auckland. Downer, Lorann. 2013c. ‘Kevin07 and The Real Julia: A tale of two political branding campaigns’. Paper presented at the Australian Political Studies Association Conference, Perth. PUBLICATIONS INCLUDED IN THIS THESIS No publications included. CONTRIBUTIONS BY OTHERS TO THE THESIS Associate Professor of Marketing, Frank Alpert, from the Business School at The University of Queensland, provided valuable comments on an early version of the Political Branding Checklist. STATEMENT OF PARTS OF THE THESIS SUBMITTED TO QUALIFY FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE Early versions of the conceptual model of political branding in Australia, the Commercial Branding Checklist and the Political Branding Checklist were included in a paper ‘Building a Political Branding Toolkit’, which was submitted as part of a postgraduate course in Marketing Theory and Research, at The University of Queensland. Completed: Semester 1, 2010. Achieved: High Distinction. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sincere thanks to my principal supervisor, Dr Ian Ward, and associate supervisor, Dr Rae Wear, for their valuable advice, assistance and support throughout this project. This thesis is stronger for their perceptive criticisms and expert contributions. Thanks to the School of Political Science and International Studies at The University of Queensland, and in particular Barbara Sullivan, for assistance and support in multiple ways. Thanks also to colleagues including Danielle, Alissa and Willem for advice, support and diversions. I am very grateful for the support of an Australian Postgraduate Awards scholarship which allowed me to focus on my research. Thanks to Associate Professor, Frank Alpert, from the Business School at The University of Queensland, and Professor Kevin Lane Keller, from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, for generously giving time to discuss my ideas. Special thanks go to the Australian Labor Party practitioners who agreed to be interviewed, thereby enriching this work. My husband, Mark Kennard, and study buddies Sasa, Max and Poppy lovingly shared this journey. Thanks to my extended family - especially Pam, Bob, Jill and Colin - for their interest and encouragement. Thanks also to many friends for their interest and support especially Brendon, Colleen, Graham, LJ, Luke, Mary, Mike, Nicole and Tim. iv KEYWORDS Political branding, political marketing, the Australian Labor Party, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, political parties, Australian politics, Australian electoral system. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND STANDARD RESEARCH CLASSIFICATIONS (ANZSRC) ANZSRC code: 160601, Australian Government and Politics 100% FIELDS OF RESEARCH (FoR) CLASSIFICATION FoR code: 1606 Political Science 100% v DEDICATION For Mark for everything vi TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………….Page ABSTRACT….……………………..……………….…………………………………………. i DECLARATION BY AUTHOR….……………….…………………………………………. ii PUBLICATIONS DURING CANDIDATURE….………………………..…………………. iii Publications……………………………………………………………………………………. iii Conference papers and presentations….…………………………………………………….. iii PUBLICATIONS INCLUDED IN THIS THESIS………………………….....……............. iii CONTRIBUTIONS BY OTHERS TO THE THESIS....……………………………………. iii STATEMENT OF PARTS OF THE THESIS SUBMITTED TO QUALIFY FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE….………………………………………………... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………... iv KEYWORDS…………………………………………………………………………………... v AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND STANDARD RESEARCH CLASSIFICATIONS (ANZSRC)…….……………………….…………………………... v FIELDS OF RESEARCH (FoR) CLASSIFICATION……..……………………………...... v DEDICATION….……………………………………………………………………………… vi LIST OF TABLES………………………………………...……………................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES…………………...…………………………………................................. xi ABBREVIATIONS…………………………………………………………………................. xv CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………. 1 BRANDING IN AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE……………………………… 1 OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT……………………………………………. 3 OVERVIEW OF LABOR’S CAMPAIGNS AND GOVERNMENTS…………………….. 7 The rise of Rudd…………………………………………………………………...................... 7 The 2007 campaign…………………………………………………………………................. 10 The first Rudd Government………………………………………………………………….. 12 The first Gillard Government………………………………………………………………… 14 The 2010 campaign……………………………………………………………………………. 16 The second Gillard Government……………………………………………………………... 19 CHAPTER TWO – LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS……………………………………… 21 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………................... 21 vii A DISCUSSION OF BRANDING………………………………………………..................... 21 Branding in profit and non-profit organisations……………………………………………. 22 Branding in politics………………………………………………............................................. 23 Defining political branding………………………………………………................................ 25 A NEW PERSPECTIVE……………………………………………….................................... 25 The traditional perspective………………………………………………................................ 25 Models of voter behaviour………………………………………………................................... 26 Models of party behaviour………………………………………………................................... 28 The branding perspective………………………………………………................................... 31 Marketing models of voter behaviour………………………………………………................. 31 Marketing models of party behaviour………………………………………………................
Recommended publications
  • Impartiality in Opinion Content (July 2008)
    Quality Assurance Project 5: Impartiality (Opinion Content) Final Report July 2008 Advise. Verify. Review ABC Editorial Policies Editorial Policies The Editorial Policies of the ABC are its leading standards and a day-to-day reference for makers of ABC content. The Editorial Policies – • give practical shape to statutory obligations in the ABC Act; • set out the ABC’s self-regulatory standards and how to enforce them; and • describe and explain to staff and the community the editorial and ethical principles fundamental to the ABC. The role of Director Editorial Policies was established in 2007 and comprises three main functions: to advise, verify and review. The verification function principally involves the design and implementation of quality assurance projects to allow the ABC to assess whether it is meeting the standards required of it and to contribute to continuous improvement of the national public broadcaster and its content. Acknowledgements The project gained from the sustained efforts of several people, and the Director Editorial Policies acknowledges: Denis Muller, Michelle Fisher, Manager Research, and Jessica List, Executive Assistant. Thanks also to Ian Carroll and John Cameron, respectively the Directors of the Innovation Division and the News Division, and to their senior staff, whose engagement over the details of editorial decision-making gave the project layers that an assessment of this sort usually lacks. This paper is published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation © 2008 ABC For information about the paper, please contact: Director Editorial Policies ABC Southbank Centre GPO Box 9994 Melbourne VIC 3001 Phone: +61 3 9626 1631 Email: [email protected] QA Project 05 – Final Report July 2008 ABC Editorial Policies Foreword Opinion and impartiality – are there any other words which, when paired, are more fraught for a public broadcaster? Is any other pair of words more apparently paradoxical? Opinion content is commissioned or acquired by the ABC to provide a particular perspective or point of view.
    [Show full text]
  • Submission on Senate Enquiry Into Media Diversity in Australia The
    Submission on Senate enquiry into media diversity in Australia The state of media diversity, independence and reliability in Australia and the impact that this has on public interest journalism and democracy. DATE: 6TH DECEMBER 2020 MY BACKGROUND I am a retired business professional who has worked in the information technology and information industry all my working life. My roles have included technical, management, account management, regional sales management and worldwide product marketing. I have taken an interest is current affairs all of my life and am very cognisant of the technical capabilities of the internet and social media. MY SUBMISSION The greatest change to the media landscape in Australia over recent years is the influence of the internet and online media and advertising and the commensurate fall in advertising revenue in the traditional masthead newspapers. The arrival of Google, Facebook, Twitter and other social media has changed the way users explore news, current affairs and other content of interest. The operational model of social media is to fund their business through advertising which extracts large sources of revenue from traditional media. This results in the need for commercial media to cut costs, change their business model, introduce paywalls requiring subscription to access media content, and merge into larger conglomerates. The other major media providers in Australia are the publicly funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and SBS. The internet and social media has not affected their funding source and has in fact increased their reach. The ABC receives over $1 Billion annually and is forever complaining about cuts, be they cuts in real terms or simply through a lack of inflation indexed cost increases.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Democracy and the Rudd Labor Government in Australia
    Internationale Politikanalyse International Policy Analysis Andrew Scott Social Democracy and the Rudd Labor Government in Australia As the Rudd Labor Party Government in Australia celebrates two years in office following the Party’s many years in opposition, it is in a strong position. However, it needs to more clearly outline its social democratic ambitions in order to break free from the policies of the former right-wing government, from three decades of neo-liberal intellectual dominance and from association with the ineffectual policy approach of British Labour’s »Third Way«. This can be done with a greater and more sustained commitment to improve industrial relations in favour of working families, including by fur- ther expanding paid parental leave. There also need to be further increases in public investment, including in all forms of education, and policy action to broaden the nation’s economic base by rebuilding manufacturing in- dustry. Other priorities should be to better prevent and alleviate the plight of the unemployed, and to tackle the inadequate taxation presently paid by the wealthy. Australia needs now to look beyond the English-speaking world to en- visage social democratic job creation programs in community services, and to greatly reduce child poverty. Australia also needs better planning for the major cities, where the population is growing most. Consistent with the wish for a greater role as a medium-sized power in the world, Aus- tralia’s Labor Government needs to take more actions towards a humani- tarian
    [Show full text]
  • Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) Rules 2017 AS AMENDED by the 2017 ANNUAL STATE CONFERENCE RULES 2017
    Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) Rules 2017 AS AMENDED BY THE 2017 ANNUAL STATE CONFERENCE RULES 2017 Contents Basic principles of the ALP – Origins, Objectives, Policy Committees ........................................................25 Principles of Action, Membership and Representation (at Annual Conference) .............26 Organisation ...................................................................4-5 Code of Conduct ............................................................ 6 Section C Rights and Responsibilities .......................................29 Section D RULES Administrative Committee ........................................ 30 Section A Section E General ................................................................................. 7 Ombudsman ....................................................................35 Life Membership ............................................................... 8 Section F Joining the Party .............................................................. 8 Regional Assemblies ....................................................37 Joining your Local Branch ......................................... 10 Section G Joining the Central Policy Branch ............................11 Electorate Councils .......................................................38 Party Membership Forms ............................................12 State Electorate Councils ...........................................42 Membership Renewal ....................................................12 Federal Electorate
    [Show full text]
  • What Public? Wayne Parsons (1995) Has Considered the Changing Use of the Term ‘Public’, and Suggests a Range of Terms in Common Use, Including
    This page intentionally left blank AN INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC POLICY THEORY AND PRACTICE Sarah Maddison and Richard Denniss An Introduction to Australian Public Policy: Theory and Practice is the fi rst book to comprehensively address both the theoretical and the practical aspects of policy making in Australia. Written in an accessible style, this text is designed to introduce students to the real world challenges and skills involved in working in a range of policy roles. Drawing on their own experiences, the authors ground public policy theory in a number of key controversies to illustrate the contestable nature of the policy process. Key economic concepts are explained in detail using plain language, paving the way for discussion about the main roles and responsibilities of policy making. Each chapter features case studies that outline contemporary policy issues, such as the deregulation of the fi nancial system, ‘Knowledge Nation’, paid maternity leave, and the Northern Territory intervention. Including practical exercises on how to write policy briefs and media releases, this book is essential reading for anyone who needs to know how public policy is developed in Australia. Sarah Maddison is Senior Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales. Richard Denniss is Executive Director of the Australia Institute, a Canberra-based policy think tank, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University. AN INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC POLICY THEORY AND PRACTICE Sarah Maddison Richard Denniss CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Dubai, Tokyo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521705714 © Sarah Maddison & Richard Denniss 2009 This publication is in copyright.
    [Show full text]
  • Strategy-To-Win-An-Election-Lessons
    WINNING ELECTIONS: LESSONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 1983-1996 i The Institute of International Studies (IIS), Department of International Relations, Universitas Gadjah Mada, is a research institution focused on the study on phenomenon in international relations, whether on theoretical or practical level. The study is based on the researches oriented to problem solving, with innovative and collaborative organization, by involving researcher resources with reliable capacity and tight society social network. As its commitments toward just, peace and civility values through actions, reflections and emancipations. In order to design a more specific and on target activity, The Institute developed four core research clusters on Globalization and Cities Development, Peace Building and Radical Violence, Humanitarian Action and Diplomacy and Foreign Policy. This institute also encourages a holistic study which is based on contempo- rary internationalSTRATEGY relations study scope TO and WIN approach. AN ELECTION: ii WINNING ELECTIONS: LESSONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 1983-1996 By Dafri Agussalim INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA iii WINNING ELECTIONS: LESSONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 1983-1996 Penulis: Dafri Agussalim Copyright© 2011, Dafri Agussalim Cover diolah dari: www.biogenidec.com dan http:www.foto.detik.com Diterbitkan oleh Institute of International Studies Jurusan Ilmu Hubungan Internasional, Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik Universitas Gadjah Mada Cetakan I: 2011 x + 244 hlm; 14 cm x 21 cm ISBN: 978-602-99702-7-2 Fisipol UGM Gedung Bulaksumur Sayap Utara Lt. 1 Jl. Sosio-Justisia, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281 Telp: 0274 563362 ext 115 Fax.0274 563362 ext.116 Website: http://www.iis-ugm.org E-mail: [email protected] iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This book is a revised version of my Master of Arts (MA) thesis, which was written between 1994-1995 in the Australian National University, Canberra Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • NSW Labor Rules AS AMENDED by the 2014 NSW LABOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
    NSW ICAC EXHIBIT NSW Labor Rules AS AMENDED BY THE 2014 NSW LABOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE Vol 7 31 Rules 2015NSW ICAC EXHIBIT NSW Labor Table of Contents Basic principles of the ALP – Origins, Objectives, Responsibilities ........................................................ 23 Principles of Action, Membership and Organisation 4-5 Administrative Committee ........................................ 24 Joint Campaign Committee ..................................... 28 Rules Regional Assemblies ................................................ 28 General ...................................................................... 6 Electorate Councils .................................................. 29 Life Membership ........................................................ 7 Local Government ................................................... 34 Joining the Party ........................................................ 7 Branches ................................................................. 36 Joining Your Local Branch ......................................... 9 Setting up a new branch ...................................... 36 Joining the Central Policy Branch ..............................10 Joining a Local Branch ......................................... 37 Party Membership Forms ........................................ 10 Local Branch membership .................................... 37 Party Membership Fee ............................................. 10 Transferring from a Branch ................................... 38 Membership Renewal .............................................
    [Show full text]
  • Gender Stereotypes and Media Bias in Women's
    Gender Stereotypes and Media Bias in Women’s Campaigns for Executive Office: The 2009 Campaign of Dora Bakoyannis for the Leadership of Nea Dimokratia in Greece by Stefanos Oikonomou B.A. in Communications and Media Studies, February 2010, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens A Thesis submitted to The Faculty of College of Professional Studies of The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Professional Studies August 31, 2014 Thesis directed by Michael Cornfield Associate Professor of Political Management Acknowledgments I would like to thank my parents, Stella Triantafullopoulou and Kostas Oikonomou, to whom this work is dedicated, for their continuous love, support, and encouragement and for helping me realize my dreams. I would also like to thank Chrysanthi Hatzimasoura and Philip Soucacos, for their unyielding friendship, without whom this work would have never been completed. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to Professor Michael Cornfield for his insights and for helping me cross the finish line; Professor David Ettinger for his guidance during the first stage of this research and for helping me adjust its scope; and the Director of Academic Administration at The Graduate School of Political Management, Suzanne Farrand, for her tremendous generosity and understanding throughout this process. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………..ii List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………….vi List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………….vii
    [Show full text]
  • The F-Word: Feminism Today World
    CHAPTER TWO THE MURDER “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them” - Margaret Atwood69 The day I decided my project would be on Feminism was the day I read about Elliot Rogers who killed six people and injured fourteen as retribution against all women for withholding his “right” to sex70. Naturally this maddened me; however I was moreso appalled upon realising my peers had generally accepted this as the inherent nature of society. “We’re the breeders for men”71 is our succinct role according to one Baby Boomer. Discovering this gender-based devaluation spoilt my idealistic perception of our ‘egalitarian’ society, thus now reading Feminism has ‘died’,72 I am baffled. For if ‘equality’ is the aphorismic definition that marks this movement, well then surely Feminism’s end should be brought about by some level of it? Through empirical research alone, I have observed patriarchal behaviour at every level of society - consciously and unconsciously. My tale is ubiquitous:73 at fifteen I feared being catcalled, at sixteen I feared wearing ‘revealing’ clothes and now at seventeen I fear to walk home alone without keys tucked tightly between my fingers - a strategy generally accepted as a female ‘life hack’ more than an indication of the emotional subjugation of women, corroborated by Mia Morgan, “to eliminate misogynist stereotypes, we must unlearn to understand them… refuse to accept ‘It’s just how it is’ as an answer, until we forget what ‘it’ stands for.” 74 The ‘Everyday Sexism Project’ is a manifestation of the quotidian debasement and gender-based persecution of women keeping us collectively quelled, “two men approached me…complimented my legs and asked who was getting 69 Anonymous.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Heat Treatment This Is a List of Greenhouse Gas Emitting
    Heat treatment This is a list of greenhouse gas emitting companies and peak industry bodies and the firms they employ to lobby government. It is based on data from the federal and state lobbying registers.* Client Industry Lobby Company AGL Energy Oil and Gas Enhance Corporate Lobbyists registered with Enhance Lobbyist Background Limited Pty Ltd Corporate Pty Ltd* James (Jim) Peter Elder Former Labor Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development and Trade (Queensland) Kirsten Wishart - Michael Todd Former adviser to Queensland Premier Peter Beattie Mike Smith Policy adviser to the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, LHMU industrial officer, state secretary to the NT Labor party. Nicholas James Park Former staffer to Federal Coalition MPs and Senators in the portfolios of: Energy and Resources, Land and Property Development, IT and Telecommunications, Gaming and Tourism. Samuel Sydney Doumany Former Queensland Liberal Attorney General and Minister for Justice Terence John Kempnich Former political adviser in the Queensland Labor and ACT Governments AGL Energy Oil and Gas Government Relations Lobbyists registered with Government Lobbyist Background Limited Australia advisory Pty Relations Australia advisory Pty Ltd* Ltd Damian Francis O’Connor Former assistant General Secretary within the NSW Australian Labor Party Elizabeth Waterland Ian Armstrong - Jacqueline Pace - * All lobbyists registered with individual firms do not necessarily work for all of that firm’s clients. Lobby lists are updated regularly. This
    [Show full text]
  • Comparing the Dynamics of Party Leadership Survival in Britain and Australia: Brown, Rudd and Gillard
    This is a repository copy of Comparing the dynamics of party leadership survival in Britain and Australia: Brown, Rudd and Gillard. White Rose Research Online URL for this paper: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/82697/ Version: Accepted Version Article: Heppell, T and Bennister, M (2015) Comparing the dynamics of party leadership survival in Britain and Australia: Brown, Rudd and Gillard. Government and Opposition, FirstV. 1 - 26. ISSN 1477-7053 https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2014.31 Reuse Unless indicated otherwise, fulltext items are protected by copyright with all rights reserved. The copyright exception in section 29 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 allows the making of a single copy solely for the purpose of non-commercial research or private study within the limits of fair dealing. The publisher or other rights-holder may allow further reproduction and re-use of this version - refer to the White Rose Research Online record for this item. Where records identify the publisher as the copyright holder, users can verify any specific terms of use on the publisher’s website. Takedown If you consider content in White Rose Research Online to be in breach of UK law, please notify us by emailing [email protected] including the URL of the record and the reason for the withdrawal request. [email protected] https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/ Comparing the Dynamics of Party Leadership Survival in Britain and Australia: Brown, Rudd and Gillard Abstract This article examines the interaction between the respective party structures of the Australian Labor Party and the British Labour Party as a means of assessing the strategic options facing aspiring challengers for the party leadership.
    [Show full text]
  • 22. Gender and the 2013 Election: the Abbott 'Mandate'
    22. Gender and the 2013 Election: The Abbott ‘mandate’ Kirsty McLaren and Marian Sawer In the 2013 federal election, Tony Abbott was again wooing women voters with his relatively generous paid parental leave scheme and the constant sight of his wife and daughters on the campaign trail. Like Julia Gillard in 2010, Kevin Rudd was assuring voters that he was not someone to make an issue of gender and he failed to produce a women’s policy. Despite these attempts to neutralise gender it continued to be an undercurrent in the election, in part because of the preceding replacement of Australia’s first woman prime minister and in part because of campaigning around the gender implications of an Abbott victory. To evaluate the role of gender in the 2013 election, we draw together evidence on the campaign, campaign policies, the participation of women, the discursive positioning of male leaders and unofficial gender-based campaigning. We also apply a new international model of the dimensions of male dominance in the old democracies and the stages through which such dominance is overcome. We argue that, though feminist campaigning was a feature of the campaign, traditional views on gender remain powerful. Raising issues of gender equality, as Julia Gillard did in the latter part of her prime ministership, is perceived as electorally damaging, particularly among blue-collar voters. The prelude to the election Gender received most attention in the run-up to the election in 2012–13 rather than during the campaign itself. Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s famous misogyny speech of 2012 was prompted in immediate terms by the Leader of the Opposition drawing attention to sexism in what she perceived as a hypocritical way.
    [Show full text]