PM responsible for nasty attacks: Abbott

7 Oct 2012, 1:34 pm   -   Source: AAP
Tony Abbott says PM Julia Gillard is responsible for Labor's personal attacks against him. (AAP)

Tony Abbott says PM Julia Gillard is responsible for Labor's personal attacks against him. (AAP)

Tony Abbott has denied his wife Margie's public defence of him is a sign he's worried about the perception that he has a problem with women.

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Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Labor's campaign of personal attacks against him can be sheeted home to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

He says Labor ran a similar smear campaign against Campbell Newman, who led the Liberal National Party to a landslide victory over Labor in Queensland's state election in March.

"We saw in Queensland before the state election up there a nasty, personal campaign against Campbell Newman and his family," Mr Abbott told Network Ten on Sunday.

"This is typical of the contemporary Labor party.

"When you can't defend your record, when you've got nothing of substance to say, you go personal and that's what they've been doing."

Asked who was behind the campaign against him, Mr Abbott pointed the finger at the prime minister.

"In the end the person who's got to take responsibility for what happens with any political party is the leader."

Mr Abbott's wife Margie went on a media blitz last week to defend her husband, declaring: "Tony Abbott gets women and ... the women in Tony Abbott's life certainly get him."

The opposition leader on Sunday denied his wife's public appearances indicated he was worried Labor's campaign was working.

"No it's a sign that Margie thought it was time to say `That's what you think but this is the man I know'," he said.

Senior government minister Nicola Roxon said Margie Abbott was entitled to sing Mr Abbott's praises, but he wasn't running for husband of the year.

Ms Roxon said Labor wouldn't back off criticising the opposition leader who she maintained had an "issue with capable women".

"Mr Abbott is not running in some election to be husband of the year or father of the year," the attorney-general told ABC TV on Sunday.

"It is fair game for me or any other minister ... to hold him to account for his public behaviour and his public comments."

However, fellow frontbencher Bob Carr hinted the government might wind back the personal attacks having made its point.

"Without having discussed it with any colleagues, with any adviser of the prime minister ... whatever points needed to be made have been made," Senator Carr told Sky News on Sunday.

"Women voters will make up their own minds."

Labor frontbencher Jason Clare suggested Mr Abbott should "get real" rather than complain about personal attacks.

"Politicians are going to be judged on what they say and do and Mr Abbott needs to expect to be judged on some of the extreme things that he said in the past," he told Network Ten.

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