By Rod Benson
If you live in the city of Sydney, you have a woman Head of State, a woman Governor-General, a woman Governor, a woman Premier and a woman Mayor. And we all now have our first woman Prime Minister in Julia Gillard, elected unopposed by her Labor colleagues on Thursday.
In her first press conference as Prime Minister, Ms Gillard said she believes in rewarding those dedicated to hard work, decency and effort, “the people who play by the rules, set their alarms early, get their kids off to school, stand by their neighbours, and love their country.” The same could be said of Gough Whitlam and Robert Menzies, and most of us.
Ms Gillard is an experienced politician with a reputation for getting things done. But will she maintain the commitments to moral issues we have come to expect from Mr Rudd? She has her own values and obligations. Time will tell.
The Council of Churches wishes the new Prime Minister well in the challenges that lie ahead.
Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 27 June 2010.
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