Gillard's muses: de Gaulle and Bolte

It's not just Charles de Gaulle who is informing the prime minister's utterances on issues bearing on Australia's relations with the outside world. Now it's the late Henry Bolte, longtime premier of Victoria.

As population and migration have become election issues, Ms Gillard is reported as having said on 18 July, 'One of the things Australians often say when we've spent a few days in a crowded, congested city in Europe or the United States: it's a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there.'

Living in Melbourne as I did many years ago, I well remember the Sir Henry Bolte comment that Julia Gillard now seems to be channeling. Speaking after a visit to Europe, he reflected on the passeggiata, the nightly stroll of people along the streets of Italian cities and towns. This takes place, Bolte said —and here I have to paraphrase since even Google won't find the exact words for me — because unlike us, they don't have backyards in which to spend their time.

Who will Ms Gillard channel next?

 Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.