Tony Abbott having a good idea is such a rarity that people should write down the date, Julia Gillard has said, while admitting she thinks Barack Obama is “very” hot.

Gillard also singled out the former Queensland premier Campbell Newman as one of the most difficult premiers to work with during a wide-ranging discussion in Sydney.

The former prime minister appeared at the Giant Dwarf venue as part of the new Photo Opp event, where former politicians discuss the stories behind particular photos. It was hosted by the former New South Wales premier Kristina Keneally and Julian Morrow, from satirist comedy group the Chaser.

Asked how it came about that the famous photo involving all living Australian prime ministers was taken at Gough Whitlam’s memorial, Gillard said it was the idea of the current Australian prime minister.

“Tony Abbott had a good idea, so we should write down the date,” she said to cheers and claps from the receptive audience.

Former prime ministers of Australia (from left) Malcolm Fraser, Julia Gillard, Bob Hawke, Prime Minister Tony Abbott, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating assemble for a photograph at the completion of the memorial service for former prime minister, Gough Whitlam, at Town Hall in Sydney on 5 November 2014. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

“The idea was to get all the prime ministers in one spot to get a photo and so as we all moved on from the funeral, Tony was there saying ‘we should get a photo, we should get a photo’.

“We were all just milling around chatting a bit before they said line up and we just lined up. My main thing is I would’ve preferred not to be standing next to Tony ... and you will note Bob [Hawke] took the hit for the team.”

Gillard also rubbished reports she had refused to sit next to her ally-turned-adversary Kevin Rudd at the memorial, saying he and his daughter Jessica actually helped reorganise seats because there were too many people.

When discussing various photos of Gillard and Obama, Keneally asked: “Just between us girls, how hot is President Obama?”. Gillard responded: “Very”.



Most of the discussion focused on Gillard’s political career and she was asked how she approached Council of Australian Governments meetings where all the heads of the states and territories meet the prime minister to discuss various issues.

Gillard praised the former NSW Liberal premier Barry O’Farrell and the former Victorian Liberal premier Ted Baillieu but said Newman was petty.

“When someone was determined, and I do finger Premier Campbell Newman from Queensland, when someone was determined to make it about the pettiest of personal political agendas then it didn’t work, but it worked for me more than it didn’t,” she said of her negotiation style.

“When you [Keneally] were there, and Barry O’Farrell was there and then Ted Baillieu and various other conservative leaders, we got good work done.”