Labor has reignited the misogyny war, with senior government ministers leaping on comments by Tony Abbott that women of the ''calibre'' of a university education should be encouraged to have a family and a career.
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But the Opposition Leader drew an unexpected defender in feminist Eva Cox who described the reaction of Health Minister Tanya Plibersek and Finance Minister Penny Wong to his words as an ''over reaction''.
The pair had accused Mr Abbot of sexism after he told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday that higher earning women were entitled to the Coalition's $4 billion paid parental leave scheme which would pay six month's full salary to new mothers earning as much as $150,000.
''We do not educate women to higher degree level to deny them a career,'' Mr Abbott said.
''If we want women of that calibre to have families, and we should, well we have to give them a fair dinkum chance to do so. That is what this scheme of paid parental leave is all about.''
Ms Plibersek said Mr Abbott's comments were an "insight into his values: his lack of respect for low income workers, and women in particular".
"Who exactly does Mr Abbott think are 'women of calibre'?" she said.
"What does he think about women who are child care workers, nurses and community sector workers? Are they of lower calibre than women who are law firm partners?"
Senator Wong waded into the debate on Twitter. Within hours feminists, including Jenna Price and Anne Summers, were using the phrase "women of calibre" to aggregate outrage on Twitter.
Ms Cox described that as an over reaction. ''Paid parental leave is a salary-related, work-related payment not a welfare payment. I think that's what Tony Abbott was trying to say in a somewhat clumsy way,'' she said.
''If it's a work-related payment it should be at a salary level. People off with the flu or on holiday are paid at the same rate. Why should a woman having a child be put on the minimum wage?''
Ms Cox described Mr Abbott's scheme, which has divided his party room, as ''closer to the feminist angle'' than others.
Other posters on twitter took the opportunity to make light of the Opposition Leader's comments, including Mike Farrell, who posted: "I wish I could meet #womenofcalibre. I miss being a kept man. long lunches, getting drunk, sailing, having her draw my bath" and Jess Lilley who posted: "Today, I shared my scotch biscuit and showered before work. I am among the #womenofcalibre".
Mr Abbott's office issued a statement on Tuesday night, saying: ''Mr Abbott was commenting on the clear advantages of the Coalition's Paid Parental Leave scheme which recognises PPL as a workplace entitlement which will pay women who access the scheme their replacement wage over Labor's scheme which sees women regardless of their salary, rely on the minimum wage.''
Economic "dries" within the Coalition, including backbencher Alex Hawke have blasted the scheme as overly generous and urged him to abandon it before the September election.
It emerged on Tuesday, Mr Hawke had been pushed into conflict with Mr Abbott by right wing think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, which opposes the Opposition Leader's ''signature'' policy.
Mr Hawke had been told his controversial essay on the need to junk Mr Abbott's generous parental leave scheme would be part of a post-budget compilation published by the IPA.
The institute has been angered by Mr Abbott's continuing interest in the policy he announced without consulting the Coalition party room before the 2010 election.
smh.com.au
