Australia PM Julia Gillard jokes: Mayans were right, end of the world is coming

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard barely breaks a smile in this spoof video made for a TV program that agrees with the Mayan calendar and predicts the end of the world on December 21. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned that predictions of the end of the world by ancient Mayans were correct and that the final days are coming -- in a deadpan ad for a lighthearted breakfast radio show.

"Whether the final blow comes from flesh-eating zombies, demonic hell-beasts or the total triumph of K-Pop, if you know one thing about me, it is this: I will always fight for you to the very end," Gillard said in a message to the "dear remaining fellow Australians."

She concluded her message by saying "Good luck to you all."

Australia's Herald Sun newspaper contacted Gillard's office seeking further information.

"What Australian doesn't mind a laugh from time to time? Anyway, the world's going to end tomorrow so shouldn't you be writing about that?" a spokesperson for the prime minister said.

NASA: It's not true
Such has been the hype about the supposed Mayan prediction for the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012, that NASA was moved to issue a denial in a statement on its website.

"The world will not end in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012," NASA said.

TODAYshow.com's Dara Brown talks with author and professor Gerardo Aldana about his theory that the Mayan calendar, which many believe indicates that the world will end in 2012, is wrong.

2012 and Maya prophecies: What were they thinking?

The statement said the "story" started with claims by the ancient Sumerian civilization that a "supposed planet" called Nibiru was headed toward Earth.

"This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012 and linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 -- hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012," NASA said.

Maya text cites 2012 as end of calendar cycle, not end of world

"Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012," it added. "This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar."

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

 

Discuss this post

Jump to discussion page: 1 2 3 4 ... 6

The world WILL end if there's a large sun flare. It happened in the mid 1800's and all the telegraphs were put out of service. The large flare would totally shut down all the electric grids. No lights, computers, and cell phones. Because of the two year back-log on the large generators, it would take years to restore power. Our food would soon spoil and world panic would take place. As past history has proven, only the strong (that means well armed) would survive. Something to ponder.

  • 1 vote
Reply#29 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:27 AM EST

People ponder? Have you seen them? They run around hunting for the latest shiny thing that will soothe them.

  • 1 vote
#29.1 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:52 AM EST
Reply

Aussies are a joke.

    Reply#30 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:33 AM EST

    FINALLY,,, a politician who tells the truth!

      Reply#31 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:34 AM EST

      A world without Twinkies may as well be coming to an end. LOL.

        Reply#32 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:38 AM EST

        Same old stuff, the government will take care of you. How about you start taking care of yourself?

          Reply#33 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:40 AM EST

          It Better End - I Sold Everything & Ran Up 1 Million In Debt LOL

          • 2 votes
          Reply#34 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:42 AM EST

          Heck I was a million in debt before this ever came up. Yes! Now I don't have to pay it back!

            #34.1 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:46 AM EST
            Reply

            Ms Gillard has hit the nail on the head. One thought, will it be the Mayans..... or the Wayans.... hmmmm....

              Reply#35 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:44 AM EST

              "The end of the long count." There will be a new period, another "count." Everyone chill out. No man knoweth the time...

              The last fear mongering made one dude a nice profit in downtown Atlanta. He set up a stand as all these gatherers walked around waiting for the end...had contracts to sign and $150 up front; "When you are gone, I will take car of your loving pets." Ingenious!...the guy netted a cool $40,000. I thought about re-enacting such in my little town but I do have principles...sort of.

                Reply#36 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:49 AM EST

                Mankind for the first time in history has the ability to destroy himself with Nuclear weapons,biological warfare,and the U.S. warns Syria about using poison gases,and there's AIDS,and new types of diseases are showing up,there's lots of uprisings in the Middle East,we are still involved in the war on terrorism with two wars,one lasting 11 years,it's obvious many Americans live in a world of their own,mainly untouched by the rest of the world,so it's easier for us not to believe the end may be near. At the same time NASA says there's no end of the world,there's the story of experts saying Antarctica and Greenland ice is melting,and very little is being done about it,so something is wrong somewhere. Jesus says in the Bible regarding the end of the age,not necessarily the end of the world,that no one knows exactly when it will come,not even he knows,but only God the Father knows. So there will be some kind of an end despite what NASA,and others say.I trust and believe in Jesus more so than all others,as all Christians should.

                • 1 vote
                Reply#37 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:49 AM EST

                Well, our calendar is off by a year. The millennium wasn't official until 2001. So, for those who think there's something to the Mayan prophecy...2013 would be the time to 'consider'.

                • 1 vote
                Reply#38 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:49 AM EST

                Never believe anything until it has been denied by the government.

                • 2 votes
                Reply#40 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:53 AM EST

                ...

                And global warming is a large factor.

                We have destroyed ourselves.

                .

                ...

                  Reply#41 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 7:55 AM EST

                  Celebrate with Redemption Rock 2012. Go to www.redemptionrock.us

                    Reply#43 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:00 AM EST

                    Of course there will be peace ... removing 90% of the current population level, would make things much more peaceful.

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#44 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:02 AM EST

                    of course the 10% to survive and be allowed to go on would be the International bankers and most of the Politicians....

                      #44.1 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:17 AM EST
                      Reply

                      What a cool PM. and the best part? She's a redhead. Mmmmmmm...

                        Reply#45 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:05 AM EST

                        The future of the USA ends on January 1st. We will be entering the new Era. The second coming of Barry and the Idiot. Gone will be the days where working hard, getting a real education, staying out of contact with law enforcement will matter. Get in line because everything you will get from now on will be handed to you.

                        For those of you wishing for the healthcare miracle go to any county hospital. This is what you are getting. Wait for hours to get that prescription filled. Wait for hours for the doctor that wasn't near the top of the class. Wait in a waiting room with individuals with diseases you don't have but that they will gladly share with you.

                        Don't worry about December 21st. You could only be so luckys.d

                        GBA

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#47 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:07 AM EST
                        muckfexicoDeleted

                        There have been people predicting the end of the world since the begining of recorded history - and probably before that. Fear and hatred have been very strong motivators when the need to control groups of people is present. Wasn't there some old guy here in the USA that gets on his radio show and saying the world would end? Every time the date would come and go, he would "recalculate" and pick a new date. After the last time, he then said that he would not predict the end of the world anymore but that he was still sure it would happen.

                        It will - in about 3-4 billion years. By then, nature will long have selected us for extinction - if we don't do it to ourselves first. I am thinking it will be the bugs turn to run the planet next. I wonder if they will have and end of the world cult as well.

                          Reply#49 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:13 AM EST

                          the Austrailians surrendered their guns... yes it's the end for them. Any nation, like China, could go in and take em over?

                            Reply#50 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:13 AM EST

                            Carolyn, I respect the right to believe as you wish. People so wrapped up in their own religion tend to be in denial. How many religions are there or have been that have their own Gods? which one is better? who to follow? Religions want everyone to convert to them and work so hard at making the world end instead of enjoying life as it is in the right here right now.Ask anyone like you and they all say the same thing because "the bible says" I can't even fathom having that kind of blind ignorance and not questioning anything.So many things don't make sense until you look at it from another point of view. For most I suspect it's a huge disapointment as nobody really wants to die and then there is nothing.. just in the ground or ashes. There will be a point that you will have no worries. As for the now realize how big and old the universe is and I understand that most lack the capacity to wrap their mind around it.Why would anyone or anything create us and then put the blame on us for being faulty? When a person comes to the realization we are just a tiny microbe in the grand scheme of things the more you will try yo just enjoy life.

                            • 1 vote
                            Reply#51 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:14 AM EST

                            At last a politiciian with a sense of humour. But just think, if Mitt the Twit had been elected President, we could have expected a similarly dead-pan, but in his case sincere, announcement of plans to launch the probe "Ignorance" to visit the Mormon planet Kolob.

                              Reply#52 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:15 AM EST

                              Instead we will relish in unemployment , debt crisis, erosion of freedoms and Taxation into oblivion

                                #52.1 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:20 AM EST
                                Reply

                                Well, life has been a hoot folks. LOL Actually, it has been fun watching all these doomsday prepper shows. It actually makes some sense to be prepared for a possible eventuality of change. We live in the country and have a 2 year supply of home canned and other nonperishable food, can hunt and fish (if that is even an option depending on possible events). I am head of personnel location in my office (sounds high faluting but it's not lol), and every single person in my area has put in for leave for 12/21 haha. I will be the only one here in our building except for the alleged ghosts (it is a very old military building). Since they will all be gone, I will probably stay home too - so close to Christmas nothing gets done anyway and it being a Friday just exacerbates it. My hubby and I plan on sitting on the porch glider with a bottle of champagne and seeing what develops. If the prognosticators are correct, we will go out with a bang and not care, or nothing will happen and we will be quite content with the outcome haha. Anyway, if we are all still here on 12/22 we can come back on here and congratulate each other on survivng and still being able to celebrate Christmas :)

                                • 2 votes
                                Reply#53 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:16 AM EST

                                The world is not going to end this month. I just picked up a calender at the local drugstore for 2013.

                                • 2 votes
                                Reply#54 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:19 AM EST

                                It would be a good thing if it ended with all the hate in this world. It's amazing we have made it this far.

                                  Reply#55 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:20 AM EST

                                  WOW, that would be good....if all hate could end....awesome !

                                  Oh, I think I read your post wrong :(

                                    #55.1 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:29 AM EST
                                    Reply

                                    Damn! I was hoping this was it! God, how much longer?

                                      Reply#56 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:24 AM EST

                                      Well, it worked for obama. He scared people into voting his worthless a$$ into a second term......Now, look at the mess we're in! Maybe, fear of the end time will re-focus people on what we should be concerned with......THE ALL MIGHTY!

                                        Reply#57 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 8:25 AM EST

                                        I think you neglected to type "DOLLAR" at the end of your post.

                                          #57.1 - Thu Dec 6, 2012 11:12 AM EST
                                          Reply
                                          Jump to discussion page: 1 2 3 4 ... 6
                                          You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead.
                                          As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info.