Prime Minister Julia Gillard delivers her ‘misogyny speech’ at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 9 October 2012

Julia Eileen Gillard became the first Australian woman to be prime minister when she successfully challenged Kevin Rudd for Labor Party leadership in 2010. She was Australia’s 27th prime minister.

During her term, Gillard’s gender drew attention from the Opposition and the press, with conservative commentators making much of her choice not to have children. Sexist comments led to her delivery of the ‘misogyny speech’, an impassioned response to the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, on the floor of Parliament, on 9 October 2012.