When the State Daddy takes on the Daggy Dad
Posted on 3 May 2022
IT'S no secret that Australian politics is overwhelmingly masculine. Yet conceptions of political masculine identity have differed based on party lines. Labor prime minister Bob Hawke portrayed himself as an Aussie larrikin, while his predecessor Paul Keating presented a particularly aggressive persona in parliament to establish his authority as a leader. Liberal prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott capitalised on the prevailing mood of the post-9/11 era by channeling a strong fatherly protector role that promised to keep Australians safe while tacitly reinforcing feelings of fear and uncertainty. READ MORE
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