By Mary Delahunty Posted Tue 15 Oct 2013
Photo: Labor MP Tanya Plibersek (left) and senator Penny Wong arrive at a caucus meeting in Canberra on October 14, 2013. Ms Plibersek was elected as deputy Labor leader while Ms Wong was returned to her position as leader in the senate. (AAP: Lukas Coch)
The limelight of political interest and expectations will fall heavily on Tanya Plibersek as she takes on the role of Labor's deputy leader. She is acutely aware of of the risks, writes Mary Delahunty.
The last time I was up close and personal with Tanya Plibersek she was in jeans and in tears, the brutality of modern politics written all over her face.
It was late on that cold day in June when her friend and colleague Julia Gillard was rolled as prime minister by the Labor caucus and was suddenly to leave the parliament.
Next morning a composed Plibersek was on her feet in the chamber as health minister advocating the benefits of the government's health centres and dental care, working for the Labor team now led by a recycled leader.
The new deputy leader of the Labor opposition is a serene and professional politician. Senior in the Left faction, an experienced former minister, and an accomplished member of what the Tony Abbott opposition demeaned as the "handbag hit squad" one of seven female ministers in the Gillard government. Seven! Oh how far we have fallen in just a handful of weeks.
Women are no longer partners in power and Australians have noticed. It is shocking how fast it has happened.
Angela Merkel has just been elected for a second term as Germany's leader while we are confronted with the disgrace of only one woman in Prime Minister Abbott's new Cabinet, a lame line about 'women knocking on the door' and Bill Shorten masking the decline in Labor's factionalised ranks: ''We are on track in Labor to have more women lined up in positions of influence and importance in the shadow executive of Australia than has ever been seen either in a government or indeed in an opposition, ever.''
In this tawdry context the limelight of political interest and expectations will fall heavy on Tanya Plibersek. She is acutely aware of of the risks of being a gilded one of her gender.
She spoke this year of the damage from Julia Gillard's treatment. Expressing her disgust at the toxic sexism hurled at Gillard she was supporting her friend and making a larger point 'I never want a young woman to look at the treatment that the prime minister receives and think I don't want to do that job because if I'm going to be a target like that I don't want to let myself in for it'
In accepting the deputy's job she is letting herself in for it. Perhaps not immediately. Her intelligence and policy smarts will, like Gillard's successful stint as deputy, insulate Plibersek for a while.
But should she want to step up beyond serving as number two will, her party and her country recoil into the dark ages of sexism again?
In June this year politics as usual took over. Men were back in charge and women were reminded - you can serve as deputy but don't get uppity and want to run things. Your mistakes will be magnified, your flaws, hair, shoes, glasses, clothes, partner will be dissected and distorted. Through ridicule your legitimacy will be leached.
After the September election women were almost banished from the government of Australia. One woman in Cabinet, without undervaluing the achievement of Julie Bishop as the country's first female foreign minister, is an insult. And with less women successful in this election the pipeline of talent and opportunity has diminished.
Women hold less than 30 per cent of Australian parliamentary seats and this regression has Australia sliding fast down the international rankings.
Comparing the proportion of women in national parliaments Australia has slipped from 21st to 38th in the past decade, behind Germany, Sweden Denmark and Rawanda.
What does this say to women who feel their voices and values have been erased in the last few months?
What does this say to women who truly believed that politics had a place for them and that Australian democracy meant the exercise of power other than just by middle-aged men?
It draws the eye to Tanya, Julie (although Bishop's put down after Attorney General Nicola Roxon resigned in February to be with her young daughter, that "women can't have it all" was revealing) and Labor Senate leader Penny Wong.
Both Wong and Plibersek have young children. So does Bill Shorten.
I'm wondering will the public scrutiny of these parents vary according to their gender?
Of course it will. Plibersek's partner and three children will need to be strong and protected.
And what progressive women and men in Australia must do is call out sexism when they see it, condemn demeaning toxic drawings when they are circulated and like former Speaker Anna Bourke finger the factions when they let men hold to themselves the spoils of opposition.
Like Shorten, Plibersek is a strong communicator. She speaks plainly. It is easy listening.
On repealing carbon pricing "It's just not us......Is global warming real, yes, what should we do about it; We have a responsibility to those who voted for Labor on this".
In all interviews since her elevation her message has been crisp: "We will strongly defend our legacy - economic stewardship, education". On reforms, Disability Care and health: "We will articulate our vision for a strong economy and fair society".
Between the idea to the execution often falls a shadow but one who knows both Plibersek and politics, this tweet from Julia Gillard: "Congratulations to Tanya .......A woman of achievement & vision, wit & warmth.".
Mary Delahunty is a former minister in the Victorian Labor Government. View her full profile here.
