Well, I think women across Australia, particularly, are a bit fed up with this constant attack and belittling of women in politics, and particularly the role of a female as a prime minister.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
There's always been something deeply disturbing about the Abbott government's attitude to women.
Women are tough campaigners. They certainly know how to withstand attacks. And I think we make a mistake if we say, as some do, that women should play by different rules, or that they are somehow especially vulnerable to the rules of politics. I don't think that's true.
Women politicians take their job seriously and accomplish their duties diligently and sensitively. Only they can understand the problems of women and act as a sounding board for their concerns.
The Prime Minister is head of team but its not a one woman act. I've been called all those things. Intellectual, sharp-tongued, all true. But what New Zealander is like is to know that someone is in charge and in the end the buck stops with the Prime Minister.
Many female politicians get intimidated by the aggressive behaviour of men. I don't. Not because I am a courageous person or anything, but because I see international standards, and I see that they are worth fighting for.
As women have played an increasingly important role in politics, there is no question that they've brought a different perspective, focusing attention on a broader set of issues and building alliances with other women.
So many women don't have voices in their governments.
We are bringing women into politics to change the nature of politics, to change the vision, to change the institutions. Women are not wedded to the policies of the past. We didn't craft them. They didn't let us.
If being a woman is a factor politically, it's usually not because of a conscious bias, but because women are a novelty.
I think sometimes women are not driven by the same, albeit, testosterone power thing that pushes men to get into politics.
No opposing quotes found.