1. Did she or didn’t she?
Russell Grenning
As we once again have to endure the on-going and seemingly never-ending saga about how
much Gillard and Rudd loathe, detest, hate and most comprehensively despise each other,
the Australian media has missed asking Ms Gillard one crucial question.
Well, did you or didn’t you?
Of course I’m referring to that famous toy kangaroo that Ms Gillard was knitting for the then
impending new royal baby. Did she or didn’t she finish it and send it to the proud parents
after Prince George Alexander Louis, Prince of Cambridge was born?
Knitters are not quitters and they have the right to know. My dear old mum was a prolific
knitter in her hey-day and was fiercely and justifiably proud of the scarves, cardigans,
shawls, gloves, oven mitts and everything else she churned out. Purl-wise, she was perfect
and during the war she was a dedicated Knitter for Victory and, no doubt, many a man at
The Front had good reason to thank her for the lovely warm socks. She was a sociable
knitter and a keen member of the Anglican Ladies’ Knitting Circle and even an office-bearer
circa 1959-60 although when the AIDS crisis hit she was troubled about the risks in sharing
her needles.
Before I get back to Ms Gillard and her toy kangaroo, I should mention that mummy never
ever knitted me a toy. I didn’t have a deprived childhood but, nevertheless, I feel if I had
received my own knitted toy around 1950 it could have saved me a good deal of emotional
trauma later in life. I’ve made a note to mention this lack of knitted toys as part of my
defence if I have to face court in the future.
Anyhow, on 25 June 2013, that esteemed journal of contemporary history and politics, The
Australian Women’s Weekly published a lovely story about Ms Gillard’s fondness for knitting
and the front page picture was herself looking, well, a real picture. The story began,
“Wondering what the beleaguered Prime Minister has been doing lately? She’s been knitting
a gift for the royal baby, writes Caroline Overington.”
That lovely snap showed her posing in a large comfy chair, surrounded by enough wool and
needles to knit a life-size Macropus rufus – that’s the red kangaroo although I’m sure you
knew that if you were born here and I was – which have been known to reach three metres
in height and 150 kilograms in weight. Looking on with a bemused, even bored, expression
was the then First Dog, Reuben.

2. Running the country then didn’t seem to take up a lot of time given that she spent five
hours on the photo-shoot which necessitated her retinue of six including her personal stylist
and make-up artist. Reuben commendably opted for the casual, natural look which, frankly,
was rather more believable.
Ms Gillard didn’t betray the slightest concern much less knowledge about the storm that
was gathering around her although she seemed to be in a somewhat pensive mood when
she was asked how would she look back on her term as PM. “I’m not a person who
agonises” she said and that she would look back on her time running things which
demonstrably did not include the ALP much less the nation with a “sense of pride and
achievement.”
Actually, on the day after publication, we didn’t have to wonder what Ms Gillard was doing
– well, at least as work was concerned – because on that day the ALP caucus lived up to its
reputation of loyalty to the Leader by dumping her to bring back the loveable Kevvie. She
would have had lots and lots of time to finish Prince George’s toy kanga because he wasn’t
born until 22 July.
In the interview, Ms Gillard was coy about what the Australian Government would give the
then unborn new Royal as a gift and, in any case as it turns out, it wasn’t her decision.
The day after His Royal Highness Prince George was born, Prime Minister Rudd announced
that the Government would give $10,000 for a refurbishment of Taronga Park’s bilby exhibit
which would be named after the newest royal. Back in April, the Prince then aged nine
months and his doting parents visited the exhibit and the star bilby – renamed George – and
his royal namesake came face to face. It was a toss-up as to who was least impressed.
The rechristened – well, at least renamed - bilby had been formerly been known as Boy and
I could only wonder if this innocent little marsupial would go through life being referred to
as Boy George. It’s one thing to be renamed after a possible future King, it is quite another
to be linked to a washed-up, drug addicted former jail-bird.
Prince George was presented with a stuffed bilby – I mean a toy bilby not one that is rather
unwell – and he showed his appreciation by immediately throwing it on the ground. Maybe
he was a bit peeved that he still hadn’t received his knitted kangaroo.
In her interview with Ray Martin a couple of days ago, Ms Gillard was asked if she would do
it all over again. She just managed to suppress her natural modesty and inherent shyness
and replied, “No question, do some things differently but do it all again? Absolutely.”
That response got knitters all atwitter given that Prince George can expect a new brother or
sister next April – will Julia get her needles out again they are asking.