by Julia Baird
It’s not rooted in social media. It’s rooted in history. It has just found expression in another form. Which is why if we do not recognise and understand this history, it will continue to morph and repeat.
We need, now, our Valkyries — in politics, the media, the courts, in every place that has systems that diminish and exclude the voices of women — to call people to account. We need, now, for all this research and reporting, all of the forensic work and first-hand accounts of women calling for a fairer, more equitable culture, to be heard. That’s the challenge here; parliamentary chambers were designed for male voices. Even lapel microphones are designed for male clothes. Politics was designed for white men. But it’s not working any more.
The lava, quietly, is flowing.
Julia Baird, 2021
Acknowledgements
A book like this, with its roots in years of research for my PhD, has many debts. First the research was made possible by the expertise of numerous librarians across the country. The staff at the NSW Parliamentary Library, including Rob Brian, David Clune, Stewart Little, Greg Tillotson and Richard Baker, have been particularly helpful. I am also grateful for the assistance of the staff at the Federal Parliamentary Library, especially Roslyn Membrey and Bernice Donellan.
I interviewed many people for this book who are too numerous to mention but were generous with their time. I would, however, like to thank those female MPS I spoke to, including Franca Arena, Louise Asher, Gracia Baylor, Flo Bjelke-Petersen, Bronwyn Bishop, Julie Bishop, Anna Burke, Jan Burnswoods, Valerie Callister, Virginia Chadwick, Joan Chambers, Kerry Chikarovski, Joan Child, Joan Coxsedge, June Craig, Mary Crawford, Janice Crosio, Lyla Elliott, Wendy Fatin, Rosemary Foot, Pat Giles, Julia Gillard, Marlene Goldsmith, Julie Greig, Deidre Grusovin, Margaret Guilfoyle, Janine Haines, Kay Hallahan, Yvonne Henderson, Maggie Hickey, Jane Hill, Caroline Hogg, Beryl Jones, Jackie Kelly, Ros Kelly, Cheryl Kernot, Lis Kirkby, Joan Kirner, Sue Knowles, Di Laidlaw, Carmen Lawrence, Meg Lees, Susan Lenehan, Wendy Machin, Margaret McAleer, Jeanette McHugh, Jean Melzer, Sandra Nori, Pamela O’Neil, Jeanette Patrick, Tanya Plibersek, Margaret Ray, Margaret Reid, Nicola Roxon, Susan Ryan, Kay Setches, Prue Sibree, Heather Southcott, Natasha Stott Despoja, Kathy Sullivan, Ann Symonds, Carmel Tebbutt, Jo Vallentine, Amanda Vanstone, Judyth Watson, and Barbara Wiese.
Dozens of my Sydney Morning Herald colleagues have given me support or assistance over the years, from talking through ideas to tolerating long writing stretches, and helping with dozens of dilemmas over the years, including Richard Coleman, Linda Doherty, Gabe Hooton, Michael Howard, Peter Fitzsimons, Margo Kingston, Heather McKinnon, Alan Moir, Ron Nicolle, Belinda Pratten, Judy Prisk, Max Prisk, Alan Ramsey, Mike Seccombe, Flicc Walsh, and Cathy Wilcox. Paul McGeough, Mark Scott, and Robert Whitehead all allowed me to take time off to work on the thesis and then the book. Simon Holder provided research assistance in Canberra at a critical time. Other journalists have also helped with interviews and various queries, particularly Monica Attard, Malcolm Farr, Michelle Grattan, Fran Kelly, Laurie Oakes, Matt Price, Peter Rae, Dennis Shanahan, Tony Walker, and Christine Wallace.
Thanks must go also to those people who read and commented on chapters of the book, including Geoff Kitney, Gerard Henderson, Anne Summers, and Rob Manne. And finally, a big shout out to those of my friends who have talked over ideas and read drafts, especially Michelle Arrow, Katherine Biber, Jo Chichester, Jo Fox, Josie Gresch, Sarah MacDonald, Dan McMurray, and Andrew Rayment.
I raise my glass to my yum cha partners in crime — Tim Dick, Joel Gibson, Cath Keenan, and Sacha Molitorisz (and Jo). Particular thanks also goes to Judith Whelan and James Woodford. There is a trio of tarts who have helped me in every way — Kimberley Lipschus, Jacqui Jones, and Martha Sear, who read every word and inspired me to keep going. My parents, Bruce and Judith, have been fantastic, along with the rest of my family. Without them, and the unstinting support of Morgan Mellish, this book would not have been written.
Julia Woodlands Baird
July 2004
Bibliography
A more extensive bibliography, including the international literature on the subject of female politicians and the press, can be found in my doctorate: Baird, Julia, ‘Housewife superstars: female politicians and the Australian print media 1970– 1990’, PhD, University of Sydney, 2001. This thesis also includes a substantive discussion of the historiography and political science which provides the theoretical framework for this research, particularly the concept of framing.
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Most of the newspaper articles referred to in this book have come from clippings files held in parliamentary libraries in Australian capital cities, particularly the federal Parliamentary Library in Parliament House, Canberra. I also drew material from archives in the NSW, Queensland, South Australian, Victorian, and West Australian parliamentary libraries.
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