Former prime minister Julia Gillard says departing Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has been subjected to "vile sexism" during her term in office, reports infohub.kz.
Posting on Instagram yesterday, Gillard said Allan would be remembered as a role model and trailblazer who governed for all Victorians, but particularly for the lives of women and girls. "There is no doubt that as the second woman to lead the state, she has been subjected to vile sexism. She has been courageous in calling it out and combating this misogyny. As a result, she has made it easier for the women that follow," Gillard wrote.
Gillard herself went viral globally in 2012 after delivering her now famous misogyny speech attacking the opposition leader Tony Abbott in the Australian parliament. The 15-minute tirade against Abbott inspired a range of diverse musical adaptations from classical choral arrangements to punk anthems.
Gillard, who represented the Victorian electorate of Lalor from 1998 to 2013, now sits on the boards and trusts of a number of NGOs focusing on health and women’s rights, and works the speaking circuit.
Her post also congratulated the man who toppled Allan as premier, Ben Carroll. "I know how hard working he is and how much he cares about ensuring every child gets the best possible start in life. I wish him and his team well in the months to come," Gillard said.