Not in wildest dreams, says dad of new Australian PM

SYDNEY - The father of Julia Gillard, who became Australia’s first female prime minister Thursday, said he was elated but he had not anticipated “anything like this” in his wildest dreams.

John Gillard told reporters at his Adelaide home Thursday that he was “elated, excited, mindful of the enormous job ahead of binding the party together”.

Julia Gillard became prime minister when incumbent Kevin Rudd stood aside in her favour. After Rudd conceded that numbers were against him, a secret ballot of the Labor Party members of parliament was not needed.

“In our wildest dreams, we would not have anticipated anything like this,” said John Gillard.

Australian news agency AAP quoted the senior Gillard as saying that his daughter was always destined to be a high achiever. He described her as a “formidable person, highly intellectual”.

“Julia, in whatever endeavour, would have risen to the top I think, or certainly to a strong position. Julia is unique, hard working, passionate, driven by noble ideals, wants to do good things for the country.”