Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has defended his "economic girly man" insult, saying it has nothing to do with girls and everything to do with Bill Shorten.
The Liberal senator channelled Arnold Schwarzenegger at the weekend and criticised the Labor leader as an "economic girly man", a term coined by the former California governor to describe budget pessimists.
Labor then questioned the use of "girly" as an insult, but Senator Cormann dismissed its complaint.
"No amount of confected outrage from Bill Shorten, Labor and the Greens can detract from the fact that he is too weak to repair the budget mess Labor left behind," he said on Sunday.
"Economic girly men has come to adopt its own meaning.
"It is not in any way intended as a reflection on girls; it is entirely intended as a reflection on Bill Shorten."
Senior Labor frontbencher Penny Wong questioned on Sunday the use of "girly" as an insult.
"If we use 'girl' as an insult, what are we telling our sons and our daughters about being a girl? You're saying it is somehow less competent, weak," Senator Wong told Sky News on Sunday.
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