Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott Recall 2012 Misogyny Speech

Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appeared on the ABC program 'I Was Actually There' to recall the events surrounding the 2012 misogyny speech. The original conflict began on October 9, 2012, when Abbott sought to remove Speaker Peter Slipper from office following allegations of sexual harassment and the discovery of sexist text messages.

Gillard delivered the speech after Abbott claimed the government should have "died of shame," a phrase that echoed comments made by radio host Alan Jones regarding the death of Gillard's father. Gillard described feeling a "cool anger" during the largely unscripted address, though she noted she had prepared a list of Abbott's previous sexist remarks to support her argument.

Abbott characterized the speech as an "over the top and unjustified attack" and argued that Gillard used the moment to distract from the Slipper scandal. He denied treating women differently based on gender. While Abbott viewed Peter Slipper's eventual resignation as a vindication of his own position, the speech has since become a global feminist icon.