I’m not a Woman For Gillard, I’m not a fan of her policies in general and I will never understand the timing of many of them.  But there’s at least one thing I will always regard Julia Gillard for: the introduction of Disability Care. I wish my Grandmother was still alive to see it’s introduction; after a lifetime caring for a child – and then adult – with Down’s Syndrome she deserved but never enjoyed this level of assurance and support. My late auntie Janice deserved it, she was a joy and an inspiration in the small town where we all grew up. And even today, millions of Australians with disabilities and their families and carers absolutely deserve Disability Care, and it’s enactment will be a lasting legacy of Ms Gillard.

Apart from Disability Care, the other legacy of Ms Gillard is of course that a woman had the opportunity to lead Australia.  That our leadership paradigm has been challenged in this way is a good thing and I agree that as a result “it will be easier for the next woman, and the next woman after that”.  Although it will of course be who-knows-when that we’ll see another woman in the top job.

In the mean time, I’m shaking my head wondering why we persist with a parliamentary system that enables power brokers to change our nation’s leader at a whim. My international friends have been asking me what on earth is going on Down Under? And it’s true, we must look like a bunch of nongs who can’t decide who should lead.

Pity we don’t actually have any say over it. For now.