Gillard, Obama lead most admired poll
Australians have rated US President Barack Obama and Julia Gillard the top two most admired figures of 2013.
One in eight people responding to a Roy Morgan survey taken over the year ranked President Obama as most admired, just ahead of former prime minister Julia Gillard.
The late South African president Nelson Mandela was ranked third, with 10.9 per cent of the 10,209 respondents describing him as “most admired”.
Current Prime Minister Tony Abbott came in at the number six spot, behind the Queen and John Howard, but one step above his predecessor Kevin Rudd.
Abbott was twice as popular among men as women.
Former governor-general Quentin Bryce, Liberal frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull and businessman Dick Smith completed the top 10.
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Michele Levine, chief executive of Roy Morgan Research, said it was curious that politicians dominated the list.
“Despite the fact that state MPs and federal MPs are among the least trusted professions in Australia, politicians are widely admired by Australians of all ages,” she said.
Two out of three people named at least one politician.
One had to wonder whether politicians were so widely admired simply because they were so omnipresent and unavoidable in Australian public life, compared to other “quieter achievers”, Levin said.
The most admired sportsperson, cricketer Michael Clarke, came in 52nd.
Australia’s most admired people – the top 10
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Barack Obama
Julia Gillard
Nelson Mandela
John Howard
The Queen
Tony Abbott
Kevin Rudd
Quentin Bryce
Malcolm Turnbull
Dick Smith
