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Version 3 Version 4
Photoshoot row: Julia Gillard ridiculed for knitting royal baby kangaroo Photoshoot row: Julia Gillard ridiculed for knitting royal baby kangaroo
(about 3 hours later)
The Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, has whipped up a storm after appearing in the Australian Women's Weekly knitting a toy kangaroo for the royal baby. The Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, has whipped up a storm
/>after appearing in the Australian Women's Weekly knitting a toy
/>kangaroo for the royal baby.
The photoshoot depicts the prime minister in an armchair, surrounded by balls of wool, with her dog Reuben at her feet. The photoshoot depicts the prime minister in an armchair, surrounded
/>by balls of wool, with her dog Reuben at her feet.
The pictures have sparked controversy in parts of the Australian media, who have called it "contrived" and "remarkable". Commentators have pointed out that Gillard has traditionally rejected feminine presentations. The pictures have sparked controversy in parts of the Australian
/>media, who have called it "contrived" and "remarkable". Commentators
/>have pointed out that Gillard has traditionally rejected feminine
/>presentations.
The photoshoot was at the suggestion of her advisers. Sydney's Daily Telegraph captioned the picture: "This image of the prime minister is not digitally altered but a photo actually arranged by Ms Gillard and her chief spin doctor John McTernan [a former adviser to Tony Blair] for the Australian Women's Weekly". News Limited columnist Andrew Bolt said Gillard was "giving
/>encouragement to young female politicians by plying a hobby now
/>synonymous with mad old aunts." Nationals Senator Fiona Nash told
/>Fairfax it looked like "a bit of a stunt" that showed "a lack of
/>connection" with the Australian public. While senior Liberal
/>Christopher Pyne said to reporters in Canberra: "We know the prime
/>minister is good at spinning a yarn, now we have a picture to prove
/>it."
News Limited columnist Andrew Bolt said Gillard was "giving encouragement to young female politicians by plying a hobby now synonymous with mad old aunts." Nationals Senator Fiona Nash told Fairfax it looked like "a bit of a stunt" that showed "a lack of connection" with the Australian public. While Senior Liberal Christopher Pyne said to reporters in Canberra: "We know the prime minister is good at spinning a yarn, now we have a picture to prove it."
/>
/>Gillard has previously been criticised for her perceived lack of homemaking instincts. In 2005 much was made of a photograph in her sparse-looking kitchen with an empty fruit bowl on the table.		 Gillard has previously been criticised for her perceived lack of
/>homemaking instincts. In 2005 much was made of a photograph in her
/>sparse-looking kitchen with an empty fruit bowl on the table.
Defenders have pointed out that the opposition leader, Tony Abbott, is routinely photographed taking part in his hobbies such as cycling and working with his local surf club. Defenders have pointed out that the opposition leader, Tony Abbott, is
/>routinely photographed taking part in his hobbies such as cycling and
/>working with his local surf club.
In an accompanying interview feature published online Gillard spoke on a range of issues, including her career legacy, family, September's federal election and her Republican views. In an accompanying interview feature published online Gillard spoke on
/>a range of issues, including her career legacy, family, September's
/>federal election and her republican views.
She said she would look back on her time as Australia's first female prime minister with "a sense of pride and achievement," particularly for her work in health and education. She said she would look back on her time as Australia's first female
/>prime minister with "a sense of pride and achievement," particularly
/>for her work in health and education.
During the knitting photoshoot, Gillard remarked "this feels slightly absurd".During the knitting photoshoot, Gillard remarked "this feels slightly absurd".
She said she decided to knit the kangaroo for the baby of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge as a gift, saying it would be "a cute project to work on". She said she usually knitted for babies as the smaller projects meant she had time to finish them in her busy schedule. She said she decided to knit the kangaroo for the baby of Prince
/>Williamand the Duchess of Cambridge as a gift, saying it would be "a
/>cute project to work on". She said she usually knitted for babies as
/>the smaller projects meant she had time to finish them in her busy
/>schedule.
"I guess my life is full of the engagements that politics brings and some are them are quite combative engagements," she said. "I guess my life is full of the engagements that politics brings and
/>some are them are quite combative engagements," she said.
"I don't shy away from that. If there is something I hope I have done for the image of women in public life it is that we can go into an adversarial environment like parliament and we can dominate it and conquer it. "I don't shy away from that. If there is something I hope I have done
/>for the image of women in public life it is that we can go into an
/>adversarial environment like parliament and we can dominate it and
/>conquer it.
"But that's not all of me. [Knitting the kangaroo] is an opportunity to show a side of me. I can't imagine [political commentator] Laurie Oakes saying: 'Hmmm, knitting patterns. What are you working on at the moment?'" "But that's not all of me. [Knitting the kangaroo] is an opportunity
/>to show a side of me. I can't imagine [political commentator] Laurie
/>Oakes saying: 'Hmmm, knitting patterns. What are you working on at the
/>moment?'"
Gillard also spoke candidly about her family.Gillard also spoke candidly about her family.
Of her father John, who died in September, Gillard said: "Dad was incredibly proud of me becoming prime minister, and incredibly proud, I think, that it was him that sparked the interest in values, politics, current affairs, and particularly education." Of her father John, who died in September, Gillard said: "Dad was
/>incredibly proud of me becoming prime minister, and incredibly proud,
/>I think, that it was him that sparked the interest in values,
/>politics, current affairs, and particularly education."
Not long after her father's death, the radio broadcaster Alan Jones told a lunch attended by Liberal Party members John Gillard must have died "of shame". Not long after her father's death, the radio broadcaster Alan Jones
/>told a lunch attended by Liberal Party members John Gillard must have
/>died "of shame".
In the intervew Gillard also responded to last year's jibe from Germaine Greer referring to her "big arse" on ABC TV's Q&A program, saying the statement "demeaned her more than it demeaned me". In the intervew Gillard also responded to last year's jibe from
/>Germaine Greer referring to her "big arse" on ABC TV's Q&A program,
/>saying the statement "demeaned her more than it demeaned me".
"I do take a lot of pride in being someone who not only fought for equal opportunities for women," Gillard said. "I do take a lot of pride in being someone who not only fought for
/>equal opportunities for women," Gillard said. "But for her, given
/>everything she stands for, everything she would have inspired, I just
/>thought it was stupid."
"But for her, given everything she stands for, everything she would have inspired, I just thought it was stupid." Knitting the kangaroo for the royal baby did not clash with her views
/>that Australia should become a republic, she said.
Knitting the kangaroo for the royal baby did not clash with her views that Australia should become a republic, she said.
"I campaigned for a yes case. We will get there again," she said."I campaigned for a yes case. We will get there again," she said.
"There is a real sense of respect for the Queen, so I do think a natural moment to look again will be when her reign comes to an end. "There is a real sense of respect for the Queen, so I do think a
/>natural moment to look again will be when her reign comes to an end.
"Prince William and Kate, and their child will still be personalities in Australia; people will still follow their lives with interest." "Prince William and Kate, and their child will still be personalities
/>in Australia; people will still follow their lives with interest."
Gillard's press office responded to the Women's Weekly article on their blog. The post said the prime minister's office suggested to Women's Weekly that her gift for the royal baby could be an angle for the story and it was the magazine which requested Gillard knit and bring Reuben along for the shoot. Like much in Australian politics, the origins of the idea for the
/>knitting photo shoot have been hotly disputed.
More than 400 photos were taken and Women's Weekly had complete creative control over the shoot, it continued. The Australian Women's Weekly article said that "having Ms Gillard
/>pose with needles was not The Weekly's idea. Her office came up with
/>it," quoting media director John McTernan [a former adviser to Tony Blair]
/>as saying "it was a no-brainer".
"The PMO [prime minister's office] agreed to a wide-ranging interview. Caroline Overington interviewed the PM for one hour on her achievements, leadership, misogyny, knitting, the Royal Family, Kyle Sandilands. The prime minister's press office responded on their blog, saying that
/>they had suggested to the magazine that her gift for the royal baby
/>might be of interest, but that it was the magazine which requested
/>Gillard knit and bring Reuben along for the shoot.
"Not a word of this interview appeared in the article published in Australian Women's Weekly." More than 400 photos were taken and Women's Weekly had complete
/>creative control over the shoot, it continued.
The comments referred to by the prime minister's press office appeared in the longer secondary article published on the Australian Women's Weekly website. In response to that blog post, Australian Women's Weekly acknowledged
/>the prime minister's office's denial of the suggestion but said, "in
/>an email to the Weekly a staffer clearly outlines the idea of a
/>knitting pattern".
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