Jacinta Allan the victim of 'vile' sexism, Julia Gillard says

Kelly Burke

Former prime minister Julia Gillard says departing Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has been subjected to “vile sexism” during her term in office.

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, 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.

Former union boss and former leader of the Labor partyBill Shorten has leant his support behind newly crowned Victorian premier Ben Carroll’s announcement he will call a royal commission into the construction sector.

Shorten told 7.30 last night:

He wants to act with integrity, and he wants to act in everyone’s interests.

I think he understands [what] people will be assessing: is he serving the people or is he just playing politics? So I thought he was very straight. He’s in there for Victorians, not trying to just tick the box and get particular interest groups on side.

Shorten, former national secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union before entering parliament in 2007, said Carroll’s call yesterday to set up a royal commission was timely.

I think the national mood or the state mood was there for it. I just think that the costs of construction … there may be exaggerations, but there is something rotten going on in construction, and people want to see it can be dealt with. This is public infrastructure, so it’s taxpayer money.

You can read more about Carroll’s announcement here:

Jacinta Allan the victim of 'vile' sexism, Julia Gillard says

Kelly Burke

Former prime minister Julia Gillard says departing Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has been subjected to “vile sexism” during her term in office.

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, 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.