According to the ABC television program Four Corners, "Parliament House in Canberra is a hotbed of political intrigue and high tension … . It's known as the 'Canberra Bubble' and it operates in an atmosphere that seems far removed from how modern Australian workplaces are expected to function."
The term "Canberra Bubble" morphed to its current definition from 2001, although it existed in other forms before this. Its use has increased since 2015, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison regularly referring to it when attempting to deflect from turmoil within, or focus on, his Coalition government (Gwynn). "Canberra Bubble" was selected as the 2018 "Word of the Year" by the Australian National Dictionary Centre, defined as "referring to the idea that federal politicians, bureaucracy, and political journalists are obsessed with the goings-on in Canberra (rather than the everyday concerns of Australians)" (Gwynn).

As UK Prime Minister Theresa May calls to congratulate the newly elected New Zealand PM, Jacinda Ardern, May is struggling to hold onto the leadership of the British Conservatives, a party she has only led since July 2016. Despite the challenges facing May, she has taken the time to call Ardern.
Both Ardern and May are very different: Ardern is a social democrat and May is a conservative. Yet, this has not hindered May from reaching out to Ardern, a newly elected woman on the other side of the world. Perhaps this shows that the importance of mentoring women in politics is greater than the differences they may have.

In 2016, the US presidential election and Australian federal election confirmed it was not the year for political women. Hillary Clinton was denied the presidency, even though she won the popular vote, and fewer women now sit in Australian federal parliament. The treatment of women in public life offers one insight to explain the declining number of women representatives in federal politics.