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The Gillard Project
Julia Gillard was prime minister for three tumultuous years. Here, Michael Cooney, her speechwriter and a longtime Labor staffer, tells us in extraordinarily frank and vivid terms exactly what went on in the backrooms of power. From insights into Gillard's character to the leadership tussle, her successes (and failures) in policy and the stories behind her speeches - the good, the bad and the brilliant - this is life in the prime minister's office as never told before.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 13, 2015
It is often noted that the Labor Party sells more books than their opponents. One reason they do is because there is a vibrancy to their work that resonates widely. (well save Wayne Swan’s contributions). Cooney’s ‘The Gillard Project’ helps show why.
Taking us down the path of an ALP speechwriter (whose ground Graham Freudenberg, Don Watson, James Button and others have magisterially illuminated) this is a passionate defence of the life of a political staffer. It fairly drums along, proudly pulling back the curtain to show the resilience and humour that sustained the Gillard Government.
This is also a somewhat grumpy book. For all Cooney’s erudition he doesn’t offer many telling blows against his political opponents (indeed the Liberal Party is virtually absent from the text while the Greens are just occasional subjects of abuse). Likewise the defence of tribalism and unity makes sense when you consider the pressure faced during the mad summer of 2012-13. But it hardly persuades as a long term justification for the ALP’s union links and organising principle. Indeed it somewhat cheapens it. A means becomes an end. A cause established for the ‘making and unmaking of social conditions’ ends up a club seeking merely to sustain itself.
The easiest path in literary criticism is to attack a writer for not writing the book you think they should have written (or would have written yourself if you could). Let me therefore walk the road most often travelled. The segments and glimpses of how Prime Minister Gillard’s key speeches were put together were a highlight for me and I would have loved much more of it.
Cooney could easily defend himself by noting that many others have tried this approach (most recently James Button). But Gillard’s was a government that was centrally criticised for lacking a narrative and widely assumed to be unable to connect to the punters. Cooney himself regularly attributes a ‘failure to sell’ as crippling to a PM he clearly loves.
So, enquiring minds would love to know, how did his words play into that? We get an honourable mea culpa with the problems of the carbon tax label and ‘we are us’ lines, but why didn’t the bigger picture cut through? Can big picture rhetoric work anymore in this social media age? What’s the purpose and merit of speeches these days? Especially when even the author admits many were purposeless or boring.
The same could be said for policy issues. Again, this is a criticism of what I’d like to have read, rather than did read. But Cooney is not just a word smith but a policy wonk. And the two are intimately involved. So in which direction would he link to see the party go?
That said, this is a fun book, which I devoured on a plane flight home. There are enticing sections of high politics in the global capitals along with relaxed Australian larrikinism, punctuated by drinks and laughs at the beach or the PM’s house.
The vibrancy of this book is a celebration of the sheer bloody hard work of countless invisible staffers who carried this government along on their shoulders. Of course like the tragic Greek plays which Cooney has surely read, suffering alone is not enough for redemption. At least not in this world. Few however will read this book and not acknowledge that, at least they tried.
Taking us down the path of an ALP speechwriter (whose ground Graham Freudenberg, Don Watson, James Button and others have magisterially illuminated) this is a passionate defence of the life of a political staffer. It fairly drums along, proudly pulling back the curtain to show the resilience and humour that sustained the Gillard Government.
This is also a somewhat grumpy book. For all Cooney’s erudition he doesn’t offer many telling blows against his political opponents (indeed the Liberal Party is virtually absent from the text while the Greens are just occasional subjects of abuse). Likewise the defence of tribalism and unity makes sense when you consider the pressure faced during the mad summer of 2012-13. But it hardly persuades as a long term justification for the ALP’s union links and organising principle. Indeed it somewhat cheapens it. A means becomes an end. A cause established for the ‘making and unmaking of social conditions’ ends up a club seeking merely to sustain itself.
The easiest path in literary criticism is to attack a writer for not writing the book you think they should have written (or would have written yourself if you could). Let me therefore walk the road most often travelled. The segments and glimpses of how Prime Minister Gillard’s key speeches were put together were a highlight for me and I would have loved much more of it.
Cooney could easily defend himself by noting that many others have tried this approach (most recently James Button). But Gillard’s was a government that was centrally criticised for lacking a narrative and widely assumed to be unable to connect to the punters. Cooney himself regularly attributes a ‘failure to sell’ as crippling to a PM he clearly loves.
So, enquiring minds would love to know, how did his words play into that? We get an honourable mea culpa with the problems of the carbon tax label and ‘we are us’ lines, but why didn’t the bigger picture cut through? Can big picture rhetoric work anymore in this social media age? What’s the purpose and merit of speeches these days? Especially when even the author admits many were purposeless or boring.
The same could be said for policy issues. Again, this is a criticism of what I’d like to have read, rather than did read. But Cooney is not just a word smith but a policy wonk. And the two are intimately involved. So in which direction would he link to see the party go?
That said, this is a fun book, which I devoured on a plane flight home. There are enticing sections of high politics in the global capitals along with relaxed Australian larrikinism, punctuated by drinks and laughs at the beach or the PM’s house.
The vibrancy of this book is a celebration of the sheer bloody hard work of countless invisible staffers who carried this government along on their shoulders. Of course like the tragic Greek plays which Cooney has surely read, suffering alone is not enough for redemption. At least not in this world. Few however will read this book and not acknowledge that, at least they tried.
February 4, 2021
Absolutely fabulous, could not put this down, ear marked numerous pages because I wanted to remember!
April 29, 2015
I've read most books out there on Julia Gillard's prime ministership and this one is unique gives the perspective on an incredible woman from a former staffer - and is therefore an insider's picture of what it was like to work as a part of the Gillard Project. Anyone who has read any journalist accounts of the Gillard years should balance it out with this, as it encapsulates a lot of what it means to be Labor from within the movement. The writing is so genuine, you can hear Cooney's frustration and despair at the worst moments, and elation at the best. Disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine.
December 25, 2015
Cooney artfully displays the powerful feeling around Australian politics during the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era, showing us the warmly humanistic side to someone who at times seemed quite distant from the people. Gillard is a true Aussie, who had only the best interests of all Australians in spirit, and she had the gusto to get things done when they needed to be done.
Ultimately, an illuminating account of what it was like to work closely to Australia's first female Prime Minister, and the Labor Party's loyal daughter.
Ultimately, an illuminating account of what it was like to work closely to Australia's first female Prime Minister, and the Labor Party's loyal daughter.
October 5, 2015
An interesting series of anecdotes, thoughts, recollections and commentary on Gillard's time as Prime Minister written by her speech writer, an experienced political staffer. I enjoyed the 'insider's perspective' on Gillard the person as well as the insights into the life of a political staffer and an unashamed Labor Party devotee. I found the book far more balanced and reflective than other works I have read on political leaders.
March 20, 2016
There was nothing wrong with the writing here, it was the topic that got me down and made me abandon reading the book. I couldn't get past the fact that Julia Gillard's job as deputy was to support the PM, guide, cajole and threaten if necessary, but not to peremptorily dismiss him.
The result of all this was pretty easy to predict: we got Tony Abbott and that is enough to make me very, very angry.
The result of all this was pretty easy to predict: we got Tony Abbott and that is enough to make me very, very angry.
July 21, 2015
Interesting to read a loyal inside staff member's reflections on the Gillard years - with a mix of excerpts from speeches, descriptions of the political jockeying and a tribute to Julia and her personality ... A little bit of everything.
October 2, 2015
Gillard's former speechwriter is no Don Watson.
Self-serving, indulgent, and an unconvincing and irritating apologia for the faults and fatal flaws of the modern Australian Labor Party (Because, you know, governing is hard) in opposition, as in power.
For completists only
Self-serving, indulgent, and an unconvincing and irritating apologia for the faults and fatal flaws of the modern Australian Labor Party (Because, you know, governing is hard) in opposition, as in power.
For completists only
September 1, 2016
An interesting read about a very interesting time in Australian politics. I found Cooney’s writing style to be very “Aussie-blokey” with far too many irrelevant references to the footy, cricket and his Catholic faith.
Currently Reading
October 19, 2016a book from the perspective of Sam Seaborn ...
September 12, 2015
Almost finished it and still enjoying it. Haven't read too many political books, but chose this one after hearing Michael on the ABC several weeks ago.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews