Has anyone else heard Julia Gillard's speech in the US? I'm so ashamed to be a temporary resident amid her electorate. She sounded so redneck, almost mentally challenged.

'You have a friend in Orstraaaaaylia. And moites ploy strooooight....' - why do Aussie politicians briefly enjoying a foray on the world stage feel the need to use such crass simplistic language?

I'm led to believe vulgarity doesn't characterise the whole of the country so is that really the most appropriate speech she could have made?!!

Additionally, I think it's just incredible that she urged the states to continue with financial reform to stimulate their economy. Australia only avoided the contagion in the banks as the country was heavily protectionist with massively restrictive rules and taxes on derivative trading - no reason for a moral high ground - just forced all their trading desks to set up in Singapore pushing out a whole industry. Avoiding the banking collapse was fortuitous - certainly wasn't insight.

I can't stand how she shed a tear again. I think she's a total fake. I also think she sounds more bogan than the average bogan. EEEEW. Where's Mr Rudd, the Prime Minister I voted for? Last I saw he was cleaning up after the floods. (Soapbox being put away for today now.)

"don't be intimidated by China" WTF! That's a bit rich coming from the PM of Australia.

She's an effin idiot.

The whole point of the trip was to go over their and kiss US arse. Thats exactly what she did and they lapped it up. Yanks love that shit. So in that sense it was mission accomplished.

yeah I heard that bit, got the feeling they were sniggering at her, especially when she was giving them advice on how to run their economy.

She is a fkwit,she will take oz into Libya behind the brits,dumb fks

I couldn't even bear to watch it all, so nauseatingly embarrassing......

Yep, she's a tool

If Australia avoided recession because we don't have a derivative trading industry then that's great. These morons, so loved in London and New York, have caused untold misery for so many people

You're welcome to them

Totally cringeworthy, an utter embarrassment really.

Fortunately they'll all think she's a cockney and is the PM of England.

I wasn't embarrassed. The speech did the job it was meant to, just as John Howard spoke, if their aussie accents grate on you and you live in Oz, tough, you better get used to it.

Since most of the US representatives will go home after their standing ovations pleased that the country attached to Bavaria is on their side I wouldn't get too excited about Australia's ties with the US

Never a truer word spoken, if ya gonna kiss arse, make sure it's an arse worth kissing

But you're seeing and hearing her from your perspective. To the Yanks, she sounds like she sounds, they don't know that she apparently sounds like a bogan (if they even know what a bogan is). They listen to sanctimonious drivel all the time, they can't tell the difference between real and make believe. I used to shudder when Blair did an international suck up, however, the pollies and residents of those countries used to accept it and think he was something special. They will probably do the same with her. She's no better or worse than 99% of the worlds politicians.

Have to say, her voice doesn't worry me but maybe I just switch off and don't listen.

Looks like Gillard has been plagiarising U2's Bono in her speech...