My Story (Gillard book)

Last updated

My Story
Julia Gillard, My Story, cover.jpeg
Author Julia Gillard
CountryAustralia
GenreAutobiography
Publisher Random House
Publication date
2014
Media typePrint
Pages504
ISBN 978-0-8579-8390-9
Julia Gillard 2010.jpg This article is part of
a series about
Julia Gillard
  • Member for Lalor (1998-2013)

Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

Prime Minister of Australia

Julia Gillard Signature.svg

Coat of Arms of Australia.svg

My Story is a political memoir of Julia Gillard, who served as the 13th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010, and then the 27th Prime Minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013. She is the first, and to date, only woman to serve in either position. Published in 2014 by Random House Australia, My Story reflects on various personal aspects of her life and career, including her own analysis of the people and key players of the Rudd-Gillard Governments (2007–2013).

Contents

Summary and themes

My Story covers much of Gillard's political career as the Federal Parliamentary Member for Lalor from 1998 to 2013. The autobiography's focal point is Gillard's rise to power within the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Parliament, as the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia following the 2007 federal election, and her tumultuous tenure as Prime Minister following the 2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill against Labor leader and then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Her memoir analyses her achievements and recognises the failures of the Gillard Government.

Gillard is critical of Rudd and his supporters for what she believed was their constant undermining of her prime ministership which led to two unsuccessful leadership challenges throughout her tenure, followed by a successful leadership spill in June 2013, which saw her ousted as Prime Minister and replaced by Rudd. The Liberal–National Coalition, led by then-Opposition Leader Tony Abbott also received criticism for their "hostile" and "negative" approach to opposition; Gillard detailed her motivations and reactions towards to the 2012 Misogyny Speech she delivered, in which she accused Abbott of sexism and misogyny. [1]

The memoir is split into two sections. The first section, entitled "How I Did It", comprises the circumstances in how she challenged Rudd for the leadership of the Labor Party, as well the issues she faced during her governance. The second and longer section of the autobiography, "Why I Did It", details her life and the policy achievements of her government. [2]

Since its release in 2014, Gillard has released new editions of My Story, as to encapsulate related events which had since occurred post her prime-ministership, such as the leadership spills within the Liberal Party of Australia, which saw the demise of Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the election of Malcolm Turnbull as leader of the Liberal Party, and Prime Minister of Australia in September 2015. [3]

Release

The 504-page political memoir was released in September 2014 by Random House, almost a year and a half after Gillard's departure from Australian politics. [2] The former Governor-General of Australia, Dame Quentin Bryce (2008–2014), launched the book at an event that was attended by various Labor party figures, including Gillard's former Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan, Greg Combet, Craig Emerson, Tanya Plibersek, Kate Ellis, Tony Burke; in addition to former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and former state premiers, Anna Bligh (Queensland), John Brumby (Victoria) and Kristina Keneally (New South Wales). [4]

Reception

Gillard's memoirs sold 5,000 copies during its first week, according to Random House. [5] [6]

In response to Gillard's criticism of his leadership and his conduct following the 2010 leadership challenge, Rudd released a statement. In it, his media spokeswoman said, "Consistent with the past, Mr Rudd has no substantive comment to make on Ms Gillard's latest contribution to Australian fiction ... The Australian people have long reached their own conclusions about Ms Gillard's relationship with the truth – from the coup to the carbon tax. They have also reached their own conclusions on Ms Gillard's continuing efforts to reconstruct a justification after the event for her actions in June 2010, by trying to dress up personal political ambition as some higher purpose for the party and the government." [7]

The book received generally favourable reviews, with The Conversation noting "For those looking for a tell-all confession of the life and loves of Julia Gillard, My Story will disappoint. For readers seeking Gillard's views of the first Rudd government and the rise and fall of her own government, there is plenty of meat here." [8] Feminist and writer Anne Summers praised the autobiography for its knowledge on the mechanisms of government in a review with The Australian , "As a primer on how government works, My Story is on a par with the cabinet diaries of Clyde Cameron, Peter Howson, Neal Blewett and Gareth Evans. It's as comprehensive, but more personal, than [Prime Minister John Howard's] Lazarus Rising ." [9] In 2015, Gillard's memoir was shortlisted for the category of 2015 Biography of the Year by the Australian Book Industry Awards. [10] [11]

My Story was the highest selling politics-related book in 2014, selling 62,000 copies. [12]

Settlement with Xenophon

In the book, Senator Nick Xenophon was said to have been '"infamously excluded from university for a period as punishment for stuffing a ballot box full of voting papers he had somehow procured", which was denied by Xenophon. In February 2015, Random House issued a public apology to Xenophon and paid a confidential cash settlement. [13] Xenophon continued to request a personal apology from Gillard. On 6 August 2015, Gillard published a personal apology to Xenophon in a number of Australian newspapers. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Crean</span> Australian politician

Simon Findlay Crean is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was the Member of Parliament for Hotham from 1990 to 2013, representing the Labor Party, and served as a Cabinet Minister in the Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard Governments. He was the Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2001 to December 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Rudd</span> 26th Prime Minister of Australia

Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian former politician and diplomat who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia, from December 2007 to June 2010 and again from June 2013 to September 2013. He held office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Gillard</span> Prime Minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013

Julia Eileen Gillard is an Australian former politician who served as the 27th prime minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013. She held office as leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). She is the first and only female prime minister in Australian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Macklin</span> Australian politician

Jennifer Louise Macklin is an Australian former politician. She was elected to federal parliament at the 1996 federal election and served as the deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 2001 to 2006, under opposition leaders Simon Crean, Mark Latham and Kim Beazley. After the ALP won government at the 2007 election, she held ministerial office under Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, serving as Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2007–2013) and Minister for Disability Reform (2011–2013). She retired from parliament at the 2019 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Emerson</span> Australian politician

Craig Anthony Emerson is an Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party politician. He served as the Australian House of Representatives Member for the Division of Rankin in Queensland from 1998 until 2013. Emerson also served as Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Minister for Competition Policy, Small Business and Consumer Affairs in the Rudd and Gillard Governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Smith (Australian politician)</span> Australian politician

Stephen Francis Smith is a former Australian politician who was a member of the House of Representatives from 1993 to 2013. He served as a minister in the Rudd and Gillard Governments, including as Minister for Foreign Affairs (2007–2010), Minister for Trade (2010), and Minister for Defence (2010–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Swan</span> Australian politician, 14th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

Wayne Maxwell Swan, often colloquially referred to as Swanny, is an Australian politician who is National President of the Labor Party. He was previously the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Deputy Leader of the Labor Party from 2010 to 2013, and the Treasurer of Australia from 2007 to 2013.

In Australian politics, a leadership spill is a colloquialism referring to a declaration that the leadership of a parliamentary party is vacant and open for contest. A spill may involve all or some of the leadership positions. Where a rival to the existing leader calls for a spill it may also be called a leadership challenge. In Australian English the colloquial use of the word "spill" seems to have begun in the mid-1940s with the contest to replace Prime Minister John Curtin after his death on 5 July 1945.

Several surveys of academics and the general public have been conducted to evaluate and rank the performance of the prime ministers of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudd government (2007–2010)</span> An administration of the Australian government

The Rudd government (2007–2010) was the executive Government of Australia formed by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and led by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The Rudd government commenced on 3 December 2007, when Rudd was sworn in along with his ministry. This took place just nine days after the defeat of the Howard government, which was a Coalition of members of the Liberal and National parties, at the 2007 federal election. The Rudd government concluded on 24 June 2010 when Rudd, under pressure from an impending leadership caucus ballot, stepped down from the leadership of the ALP and was succeeded by his deputy, Julia Gillard. Rudd was re-elected leader of the Labor Party in 2013 and served a second term as prime minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span> Leadership spill

A leadership spill occurred in the Australian Labor Party on 24 June 2010. Kevin Rudd, the prime minister of Australia, was challenged by Julia Gillard, the deputy prime minister of Australia, for the leadership of the Australian Labor Party. Gillard won the election unopposed after Rudd declined to contest, choosing instead to resign. Gillard was duly sworn in as prime minister by Quentin Bryce, the Governor-General, on 24 June 2010 at Government House, becoming Australia's first female prime minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Gillard ministry</span> 65th ministry of government of Australia

The First Gillard ministry (Labor) was the 65th ministry of the Australian Government and was led by the prime minister, Julia Gillard. It succeeded the first Rudd ministry upon its swearing in by the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce, on 24 June 2010. It was replaced by the second Gillard ministry on 14 September 2010 after the 2010 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillard government</span> Australian government led by Julia Gillard (2010–2013)

The Gillard government was the Government of Australia led by the 27th Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, of the Australian Labor Party. The Gillard government succeeded the first Rudd government by way of the Labor Party leadership spill, and began on 24 June 2010, with Gillard sworn in as Prime Minister by the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce. The Gillard government ended when Kevin Rudd won back the leadership of the Australian Labor Party on 26 June 2013 and commenced the second Rudd government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span>

A leadership spill of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) was held on 4 December 2006. Opposition Leader Kim Beazley was challenged by Shadow Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, while Deputy Opposition Leader Jenny Macklin was challenged by Shadow Health Minister Julia Gillard in a joint-ticket. Rudd defeated Beazley, after which Macklin resigned, leaving Gillard to become Deputy Leader unopposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Gillard ministry</span> 66th ministry of government of Australia

The Second Gillard ministry (Labor) was the 66th ministry of the Australian Government, led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard. It succeeded the first Gillard ministry upon its swearing in by Governor-General Quentin Bryce on 14 September 2010 after the 2010 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span>

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party of government in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 27 February 2012 at 10 am AEDT, followed by a ballot. The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, announced the spill at a press conference on 23 February 2012, following the resignation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd, from his cabinet position after months of speculation that he intended to challenge Gillard for the leadership. Rudd announced his intention to seek the leadership at a press conference on 24 February.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span>

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party of government in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 21 March 2013. Prime Minister Julia Gillard called a ballot for the Leadership and Deputy Leadership of the Labor Party for 4.30pm, following a press conference by former Labor Leader and Regional Minister Simon Crean over persistent leadership tensions. At the caucus meeting, no alternative candidates nominated for the positions, and so Gillard and Wayne Swan were re-elected unopposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill</span>

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party then forming the Government of Australia, took place on 26 June 2013 at 7:00pm AEST. Prime Minister Julia Gillard called a ballot for Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labor Party live on Sky News Australia at 4:00pm, following persistent leadership tensions. She stated that she would retire from politics if she lost the vote, while calling on any would-be challengers to pledge to do the same if they lost. In a press conference held shortly after Gillard's announcement, backbencher and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that he would challenge Gillard, whilst also pledging to step down if he did not win the vote. At the ALP caucus meeting, Rudd was elected Leader of the Labor Party, with the caucus voting 57–45 in his favour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudd government (2013)</span> 2nd Rudd government of Australia

The second Rudd government was the federal executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party. It commenced on 27 June 2013 and ceased on 18 September 2013. Rudd had previously served a term as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010 and been replaced by his deputy Julia Gillard, following an internal party spill. Rudd regained the Labor Party leadership by successfully re-challenging Gillard in a June 2013 party spill. On 5 August, Rudd called an election for 7 September 2013, which resulted in the defeat of his government by the Liberal/National Coalition led by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

<i>Triumph & Demise: The Broken Promise of a Labor Generation</i>

Triumph and Demise: The broken promise of a Labor generation is a 2014 book which chronicles the rise and fall of the Australian Labor Party governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard (2007-2013) by the Australian author and journalist Paul Kelly.

References

  1. ↑ Sally, Whyte (29 September 2014). "Julia's burn book: a study in a prime minister and those who disappoint her". Crikey . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 Evans, Amber (23 October 2014). "My Story by Julia Gillard – book review: A woman of substance who still gets the vote" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Gillard, Julia (23 June 2015). "Julia Gillard book exclusive: how the bullying, biased media hurts Australia". The Guardian . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  4. ↑ Maley, Jacqueline (26 September 2014). "Julia Gillard book launch a relaxed rerun of the 43rd Parliament, without the Liberals". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  5. ↑ Markson, Sharri (26 September 2014). "Quentin Bryce talks of 'sexism' and 'cruelty' Julia Gillard faced". The Australian . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Anderson, Fleur (27 September 2014). "Julia Gillard's memoirs fly off the shelves". The Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Chang, Charis (24 September 2014). "Kevin Rudd statement describes Julia Gillard's book My Story as 'fiction'". News.com.au . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Mast, Natalie (14 October 2014). "Book review: Gillard's My Story, a defence of her prime ministership". The Conversation . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Summers, Anne (4 October 2014). "Julia Gillard's memoir reveals a great deal about how government works". The Australian . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  10. ↑ "My Story by Julia Gillard". Random House Books Australia . 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  11. ↑ Sebag-Montefiore, Clarissa (22 May 2015). "The 52-Storey Treehouse comes out on top at Australian book industry awards". The Guardian . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Bramston, Troy (24 January 2015). "Julia Gillard's own yarn spins nice little earner" . The Australian.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ Jean, Peter (23 February 2015). "SA Senator Nick Xenophon receives apology, cash settlement for incorrect claim in Julia Gillard's autobiography". The Advertiser . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Kelly, Joe (6 August 2015). "Julia Gillard's apology to Nick Xenophon for error in My Story". The Australian . Retrieved 14 February 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.