Greens leader Bob Brown has accused male commentators, reports the ABC, of making sexist criticisms of the Prime Minister. Senator Brown says the Nielsen poll reflects his belief that public support for Ms Gillard is growing, but he believes she is battling sexist criticism in the media. “It’s probably all subconscious, but it is sexist and quite ridiculous,” he said.

I wonder what he thinks of this lot of commentators?

Katharine Murphy in the new look National Times:

Gillard, for all her laudable fighting words and her cabinet backing, is a long way from certain that her position is tenable. There have been too many stuff ups. The existential stress you detect around her is palpable. She’s fighting for her political life, and she knows it – the pitch to caucus yesterday was really a pitch for time (I know what we should talk about, we’ve done the hard things).

Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-labor-story-will-end-badly-20120205-1qznx.html#ixzz1laa5u8oJ

Michelle Grattan in the new National Times:

I know the leadership play depends primarily on the polls and is substantially in others’ hands. But as I see it Julia, you have four options. To bring on an early vote. To soldier on, optimistic that the polls will change. To push ahead, even though you believe nothing will improve, determined to stay if you can hold Rudd at bay, because you want to add to your CV of achievements, even if this means more of us lose our seats. Or to set a time in your own mind when, if things are no better, you will step down to save some MPs like me.

Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-view-from-the-back-20120202-1qvj1.html#ixzz1lacgbXg4

Miranda Devine on her Sydney Daily Telegraph blog:

All that aside, no matter how charitable you try to be, the fact is Gillard has made grave errors of her own, not least on asylum seekers, who are drowning in droves after being lured by the siren call of her open-door policy.

As for Gillard’s so-called superior negotiation skills, they are being revealed as snake oil: promise them whatever they want and worry about it afterwards.

She squeaked through the election, but at what cost?

Selling the country’s soul to the Greens, breaking promises on carbon tax and poker machines.

Setting the country back by the twin whammy of eliminating our cheap energy advantage while raising the cost of labour, care of her union mates and Fair Work Australia.

The double sleaze of the Craig Thomson affair and revelations her office stirred up Tent Embassy Aborigines on Australia Day to score a point against Tony Abbott.

You could say Gillard’s been unlucky, but you make your own luck.

As Peter Costello says,” the tone of an office is set by the minister”.

Read more: https://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/mirandadevine/index.php

 

Annabel Crabb on the ABC’s The Drum:

Uncertainty is rife. Julia Gillard’s promises are historically unreliable.  … This week has undeniably heralded an escalation in hostilities; where last week ministers were privately describing Mr Rudd as a prima donna and non-team-player, this week they did it in public. The reason for the escalation is fear, among the courtiers of the Red Queen, that some Caucus members are converting to Ruddism.