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Helen Clark and Julia Gillard - Source: Reuters/NZPA -
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Julia Gillard boasts the same likeable qualities that made former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark popular enough to lead the country for almost a decade, a local gender politics expert says.
Jennifer Curtin has spent two years comparing the women and said Gillard's "straight talking, no nonsense" approach will appeal to voters.
"She has a broad appeal in a range of ways," said Curtin, from the University of Auckland.
"She speaks her mind and she seems, from a New Zealander's perspective, quintessentially Australian."
Gillard took on the historical role of Australia's first female prime minister on Thursday after Kevin Rudd stepped down at a special caucus meeting.
While Gillard is a about a generation younger that Clark, both have built their political careers in a similar way, Curtin told AAP.
"They've both started off on the left but moved kind of to the centre of their party," she said.
They both appear to be hard workers, good speakers and have made similar choices in selecting their political allies and portfolios - opting to avoid women's policies specifically.
"If they represent women they do it in a more mainstream kind of way," Curtin said.
