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So, what does everybody think of Rudd’s first week? Are we up for any big surprises once they’re actually sworn in on Monday, do you think?
Categories: arts & entertainment, culture wars, Politics
Are cultural politics worse than no politics at all? 
It’s time. 
At Home With Julia: meh -
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Hoyden About Town 
There’s some high expectations on indigenous affairs.
Indigenous expectations flying high
Rudd urged to outline indigenous apology
KLC urges Rudd to address Indigenous education
I’m very pleased that Rudd is getting his MPs to look at the issue of homelessness– when I heard him say that on the 7:30 Report I became insanely happy. 🙂 When was the last time we heard someone in Federal government seriously talk about homelessness as an issue? It gives me hope that Rudd’s worrying streak of conservatism will at least be tempered by genuine compassion for those in need.
I think we’re definitely seeing a steely side to Rudd this week too– on the surface of things, at least, it seems that he’s going to be a hard taskmaster for him MPs, and this could be a very good thing, so long as it actually translates into the delivery of promises.
Still not sure of what to think of Gillard’s new super-ministry, although I’m leaning towards an opinion that I read somewhere (I think at LP): If Gillard only had IR, it would look like she was not achieving much until July, when the Senate changes. In the meantime, she can do more in the realm of education. When the Senate changes, Gillard can concentrate on IR, and Maxine McKew can take over education. I’m loving the fact that so many women are going to have prominent roles in this government. Can Gillard, McKew and Penny Wong just run the country between the three of them already? 🙂
Lastly, I think that the fact that Rudd is still able to call himself a conservative speaks volumes about the way that notions of conservatism have changed: the fact that our “conservative” PM has a wife who has kept her own name and is an enormously successful businesswoman makes me feel optimistic, for once, about the impact that feminism is still having on our society. 🙂