MONTHS ago, Batemans Bay Hooked on Books sent out invitations to a dinner and a book signing for former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her book, My Story.
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It was booked out so quickly that a lunch was also organised and that too was rapidly booked out.
Both functions took place at the Catalina Club on Tuesday and Ms Gillard received a standing ovation from the packed crowd as she entered.
The emcee was Kim Saker from Radio 2EC/Power FM and Ms Gillard was introduced by Bega Valley Shire Deputy Mayor Liz Seckold.
“When I was invited to introduce a living legend and a wonderful role model, Australia’s only female Prime Minister, the organisers were unaware at the end of the phone call, I was whooping and dancing around the room,” Cr Seckold said.
She then contrasted attitudes to women from a 1930s book to those of today, but said despite the advances the World Economic Forum had demoted Australia to 24th in the world for gender equality.
Ms Gillard said her book was the product of a lifetime of experience.
“I wanted to do it quite quickly while I was still in touch with the emotions and memories of my time in office,” she said.
A sense of purpose was what drove Ms Gillard on as prime minister.
She said the book recounts a fly-on-the-wall account into the Prime Minister’s Lodge, her office and the travels all over the world including Afghanistan and, sadly, attending the funerals of 20 soldiers lost in that combat.
She said she tried to give her readers a better understanding of politics, which would result in a deeper and richer understanding of politicians.
Asked what she felt was the most important policy area, Ms Gillard said it was definitely education over all areas from early education onwards.
She said she was still carrying on with her interest in education as she is on the board of Global Partnership for Education, championing education for children in Third World countries.
Asked about the media and the Murdoch press, Ms Gillard said journalists now have to provide instantaneous information and that results in thinner content and less research on subjects.
Ms Gillard said she was optimistic for a peaceful and prosperous future, but better education is vital.
She said Australia has slipped down the rankings in education not because it wasn’t providing a good education, but other countries were doing better with their educational reforms, and Australia had to make changes to keep it in the forefront.
Asked if she’d like to return to politics she said “It’s the nature of the Westminster system that when you’re done you’re done”.
“I do miss the cut and thrust of question time and its combative element.”
She misses her friends in politics and the friends she made with her security detail and the people in the Lodge.
Questioned on how to get involved in politics she said in her case it was when she was at the University of Adelaide and the students were protesting Malcolm Fraser’s cutbacks to universities.
From that start it was a slow process and she lost three elections before finally gaining a seat.
After she spoke, Ms Gillard signed her book for a long queue of people and then doubtless had a break before her dinner engagement.
