Abbott unfit to lecture on sexism: Gillard

9 Oct 2012, 6:02 pm   -   Source: AAP
PM Julia Gillard says she won't be lectured on

PM Julia Gillard says she won't be lectured on "sexism and misogyny" by the opposition leader. (AAP)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she won't take lectures from Tony Abbott on sexism.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard won't support Tony Abbott's call to have Peter Slipper removed as Speaker and says she won't be lectured on "sexism and misogyny" by the opposition leader.

Mr Abbott provided a dramatic opening to question time on Tuesday by seeking to have Mr Slipper immediately removed from office.

Mr Slipper was disqualified "by the undenied, uncontradicted facts" that had emerged during a sexual harassment claim brought by the Speaker's ex-staffer James Ashby, Mr Abbott said.

Ms Gillard opposed the motion.

"I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man, I will not," she said, pointing at the opposition leader.

"Not now, not ever."

Ms Gillard attempted to turn the tables on Mr Abbott, saying he had double standards when it came to sexism.

She said she was personally offended when, as health minister, he said abortion was the "easy way out" and when he raised her unmarried status and when he stood beside the "Ditch the Witch" placards at anti-carbon tax rallies.

"I was very offended," she said.

"Let's go through the opposition leader's repulsive double standards when it comes to misogyny and sexism.

"We are now supposed to take seriously that the leader of the opposition is offended by Mr Slipper's text messages."

The text messages emerged during a Federal Court case and show that Mr Slipper made rude comments about female genitalia and Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella.

Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott had now decided Mr Slipper was sexist and misogynist because it suited his political purpose.

"He doesn't walk into this parliament and apologise to me for the things that have come out of his mouth but now seeks to use this as a battering ram against someone else. This kind of hypocrisy should not be tolerated," she said.

Ms Gillard asked Mr Abbott whether he had taken responsibility over the "died of shame" comments Sydney shock jock Alan Jones made about her father.

"Has he taken any responsibility of the conduct of his political party?" she asked.

"Who apparently, when the most vile things were being said about my family, raised no voice of objection.

"No one walked out of the room, no one walked up to Mr Jones and said that was not acceptable.

"Instead of course, it was all viewed as good fun."

It was only when the comments were run in a newspaper that Mr Abbott started "ducking for cover", she said.

"Big on lectures of issues of responsibility, very light on accepting responsibility himself for the vile conduct of members of his political party."

"The government is not dying of shame. My father did not die of shame," Ms Gillard said.

"What the leader of the opposition should be ashamed of is of his performance in this parliament and the sexism which he brings with it."

Ms Gillard reminded Mr Abbott the Nationals had preselected Mr Slipper as a candidate for the 1984 and 1987 elections and the Liberal Party had done so at the 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010 elections.

"And across many of those preselections Mr Slipper enjoyed the personal support of the leader of the opposition," she said, quoting Mr Abbott referring to Mr Slipper as a friend and adding that Mr Abbott had attended Mr Slipper's wedding.

"After a long personal association, including attending Mr Slipper's wedding, it would be interesting to know whether the leader of the opposition was surprised by these text massages," she said.

"He's certainly in a position to speak more intimately about Mr Slipper than I am and many other people in this parliament, given this long personal association."

Ms Gillard urged that the motion be defeated, arguing the parliament should not be making decisions about the speakership while Mr Slipper's legal case was in progress.

"People then will have the opportunity to make up their minds, with the fullest information available to them."

Mr Abbott later took to the airwaves to criticise the government's support for Mr Slipper.

"I don't understand for a moment why a prime minister who loves to get sanctimonious about what she calls sexism and misogyny can tolerate this person staying in the chair," Mr Abbott told Fairfax Radio.

However, Mr Abbott said he had not been surprised when Ms Gillard began to make disparaging remarks about him in parliament.

"I just thought `here they go again'," he said.

"This prime minister, whenever she's in trouble, tries to pull this `I am a wronged person' stunt.

"In the end you've got to address the issues.

"And the issue here is very simple: Should Peter Slipper be our Speaker knowing what we now know about him?

"We think he shouldn't. Julia Gillard and the government think he should."

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