Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Just an Average Joe

I just read something that has inspired me to make a rare political post. Apparently Joe Hockey, Australia's federal Minister for Workplace Relations, believes he is doing poorly in polls compared to his opposite number Julia Gillard because he is "not as pretty as her".

Holy smokes, when will these troglodytes get it? He is trying to diminish her for being a woman. Pure and simple. Nice one Joe. Crikey, if there was even a grain of truth in his logic, why weren't Kerry Chikarovski or Natasha Stott-Despoja as politically successful as they might have been? They were clearly prettier than their adversaries. I wonder if Joe also thinks that Helen Clark only made it into the PM's chair in NZ because she looks like she might be a good root (don't answer that ...), or is he suggesting that ALL half-attractive women are succesful beyond merit because of their looks? I mean, really, what message does he want to send to the women of Australia with a statement like this? Poor old Joe. To think he used to be my local member.

And the most delicious irony is that he said it after "addressing a conference on advancing the position of women in the workplace". Ha ha ha ha !! I wonder what he told them ... ten top tricks with foundation and lippy? How to make it to the top with just two simple implants?

OK, back to running next time, but this just tickled me so much I had to write about it.

9 comments:

plu said...

Good one.

Have you been following Andrew Bartlet's Blog
http://www.andrewbartlett.com/blog/

cheers Plu

Ewen said...

With a bit of luck Mike Bailey will give him a bad forecast for the election.

Gee, Helen Clark looks pretty good in that photo! ;)

GKK said...

You're forgetting the stunner who made it to the top purely on her looks: Maggie Thatcher!

Samurai Running said...

Yes the girls can't win can they.

Some said, the recent French presidential candidate "Royale" was too beautiful to be taken seriously.

Samurai Running said...

I just took a look at "Gillards" photo and I reckon if you shaved and powdered Ewens bum it would be prettier than that polly's mug!

Ewen said...

Thanks Scott.

Hey Steve, do you have Nasty Natasha's phone number?

Stephen Lacey said...

Cheers Ewen. I was waiting for someone to pick up on the irony of me linking to that particular choice of portrait for Natasha. Maybe I'm just as bad as old Joe...

Rachel said...

Geez, poor Julia has really been coping it for being a female lately :( I'm so proud to be an aussie sometimes.

TD said...

I'm joining this conversation a little late but do fully agree with what you have written. Actually I pretty much appalled with the rhetoric on both sides of politics. The media are very much to blame with their emphasis on "sound bites", but then they are only just reprinting what some polly has been silly enough to say in public.