A chance to go beyond the Press Gallery chatter — here’s a snapshot of what the punters have been saying on talkback radio this morning as they wake up to a new Prime Minister. (Care of our friends Media Monitors):

Canberra:

  • ABC 666 Canberra (National Australia)

Caller Michael says he rather likes Julia Gillard, although she was kind of ambushed into the situation and seemed the last person to know what was going on. He says she will be a hell of a Prime Minister.

  • ABC 666 Canberra (National Australia)

Caller Wendy refers to the media reports that Julia Gillard is unmarried and childless, saying that she is not hurting anybody and that her marital status counts for nothing. Wendy says she also likes that she has red hair and went to her old high school in SA [Unley High]. Faine says she attended university in Melbourne and then went to Slater & Gordon as a lawyer and worked for Victorian Premier John Brumby. Wendy admires her commitment and believes she should be given a go.

  • ABC 666 Canberra (Canberra)

Caller Claudia says she was a big fan of Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister.

  • ABC 666 Canberra (Canberra)

Caller Michael is chuffed with the news that Julia Gillard is Prime Minister. Michael says the only drawback is Wayne Swan, Deputy Prime Minister.

  • ABC 666 Canberra (Canberra)

Caller Greg thinks that the new leadership contest is good news. Greg thinks that Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister was a terrible Prime Minister.

Cairns:

  • ABC Far North (Cairns)

Sewell discusses the appointment of Julia Gillard as Prime Minister. Caller Raphael says he agrees with Tyrone, and he says that Gillard is very good and that Australia is looking forward to a brighter future.

  • ABC Far North (Cairns)

Sewell discusses the appointment of Julia Gillard as Prime Minister. Caller Jean says it is a wonderful morning. Jean says she can not believe that the spontaneous combustion within the Labor Party was initiated by elected members.

Brisbane:

  • 4BC Brisbane:

Caller Barry is confused about how the Labor Party can change leaders when it was Kevin Rudd, not Julia Gillard, elected by the Australian public.

  • ABC 612 Brisbane (Brisbane)

Caller Alex says Australians’ have not been able to share in the creation of Australia’s first female PM, Julia Gillard.

  • 4BC (Brisbane)

Caller Robin says she hopes Julia Gillard does a good job, and ‘goes moderately on the mining tax,’ and if she does so Robin intends to vote for her. Hardgrave agrees.

  • ABC 612 Brisbane (Brisbane)

Caller Jackie says she feels absolutely outraged by the leadership spill in the Fed Govt as the people of Australia voted in former PM, Kevin Rudd. Jackie feels if a person is voted in as PM the office should not change hands until their term is completed.

  • ABC 612 Brisbane (Brisbane)

Caller Julie says when she heard the news that the Fed Govt has voted in Julia Gillard as PM she wanted to cry as this is an un-Australian act, the worst she has ever seen. Julie says the ALP is like a pack of wolves with blood on them today, Gillard was not elected by the Australian people. Julie says she will now put a lot of her energy into the Liberal Party.

  • 4BC (Brisbane)

Caller Damian criticises Wayne Swan, New Deputy Prime Minister, for having ‘absolutely no experience in real life affairs’. He says he has no sympathy for Kevin Rudd. Damian criticises the Labor Government’s handling of the economy, education, and health.

  • 4BC (Brisbane)

Caller Lorraine explains why she doesn’t expect to see any change with Julia Gillard replacing Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. She says the Labor Party has caused ‘so much trouble’ for Australia. Hardgrave says Rudd will soon speak to the media and there are rumours he has been crying in caucus.

Sydney:

  • 2UE (Sydney)

Caller Phil says Kevin Rudd brought this upon himself. He says people fell in love with Rudd when he was on Sunrise, and gave Julia Gillard a lot of air time with his absence. Liebmann also notes that Sky News does an ‘extraordinary job’ when ‘things like this happen.’ Phil says he does not really like Gillard and ‘not fond of the unions’ but she does a really good job in the media.

  • 2UE (Sydney)

Caller Gabriella is a feminist, has been waiting for a female PM but is not impressed with the way Julia Gillard has taken the prime ministership. Gabriella says Gillard backed Rudd in all of his decisions. She says the leadership spill makes the Labor Party look ‘split and torn’ and like ‘a joke.’

  • 2UE (Sydney)

Caller Paul says Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan gave Kevin Rudd many of his policy ideas, so are just as guilty as him for doing the wrong thing. He says Rudd is the scapegoat.

  • 2SM (Sydney)

Caller Robyn says she doesn’t think there should be cut throat behavior in either the Fed Labor Party or NSW Labor Party. She had a friend in the regional NSW and Vic Labor Parties who said they are full of corruption. She says she would like to see an inquest into the Vic Labor Party. She said her friend ended up hanging himself but not because of politics. Delaney says making broad allegations without details will not achieve anything. She says the right side did this to Kevin Rudd, outgoing Australian Prime Minister. Delaney says opinion polls clearly showed that the voting public had lost faith in Rudd so the Labor Party needed to do something to boost their chances of winning the election.

  • 2GB (Sydney)

Talkback caller Greg says Kevin Rudd faces a global financial crisis and Aust didn’t come through it all that badly. Hadley says the previous government left a surplus of $22b. He says the mining industry also helped. He says ‘Let’s not reinvent history Greg, you disappear into the ether old son’.

  • 2UE (Sydney)

Caller Marie says she believed in Kevin Rudd, outgoing Australian Prime Minister, but will never vote again even if the authorities jail her. She says Rudd was honest and fair dinkum. Liebmann says that factional leaders pulling the strings is almost NSW mark two. She says the media crucified Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull, Federal Liberal MP, criticised Rudd’s wife. She says Alan Jones, Macquarie Radio, stated that he will do anything to stop Fed Labor getting in.

  • 2SM (Sydney)

NSW region:

Caller Joan says she has an infected toe because she is a diabetic. She says it is disgusting what Labor has done to Kevin Rudd. She says he has done all he can for the govt.

  • ABC South East NSW (Bega)

Caller Jono says the election of Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minister is a good move as when Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister spoke you couldn’t understand a word the man was trying to say.

  • ABC New England North West (Tamworth)

Caller Matt rings in about the fact that Julia Gillard is the new Prime Minister. Matt says Gillard taking over as PM is his worst nightmare, and thinks Labor would have been better off sticking with Rudd. Matt does not like the way Gillard articulates herself, saying other countries will not be able to understand her. Matt thinks Tony Abbott will walk all over her at the election.

  • ABC Newcastle (Newcastle)

Caller Bobby says she is proud to be a female this morning. She says politics need more females and this is wonderful news. She says it will be a hard slog for Ms Gillard and she hopes that she stays to the left side and not the far right.

Melbourne:

  • Melbourne Talk Radio (Melbourne)

Caller Sonya says she is disappointed the Liberals will no longer be able to use their Kevin O’Lemon advertisement anymore. Sonya believes Greg Shorten and Greg Combet are scheming to usurp the leadership from Gillard and Wayne Swan after the next election.

  • Melbourne Talk Radio (Melbourne)

Caller Mel says she feels betrayed by the ALP. Mel says it is not fair Kevin Rudd was forced to step down as the public voted him in, not for Julia Gillard. Grant agrees.

  • 3AW (Melbourne)

Caller Andy says the ‘Rudd rot’ set in when he used the words ‘programmatic specificity’, as he lost the man in the street. Mitchell agrees this did not help.

  • 3AW (Melbourne)

Caller Sarah wonders how anyone can have confidence in Labor when it cannot keep it together. Mitchell says Kevin Rudd has no chance. Sarah says she wants Joe Hockey as PM. Sarah says being female has nothing to do with it for her and calls her a back stabber. Sarah says Rudd did not make decisions by himself. Mitchell agrees it is historic, and says he understands Joan Kirner’s involvement but voters want the best person. Mitchell says it was different with Barack Obama in the US. Mitchell says Rudd was due on his program tomorrow.

  • 3AW (Melbourne)

Caller Louise praises Julia Gillard. Mitchell says they want the best person as PM, not the best chromosomes. Louise says Julie Bishop should run for the election as leader of the opposition. Mitchell agrees it is historic, but it should be she is the best person for the job, not the most suitable chromosomes. Mitchell says he understands Joan Kirner’s involvement.

Adelaide:

  • 5AA (Adelaide)

Caller Mal says Julia Gillard will do a great job, but the Labor party have done so much damage already. Smithson says Don Farrell had an unpleasant meeting with Kevin Rudd recently which set the scene.