of this discussion and I can't find it anywhere online. Abbott was not expressing a viewpoint in those comments, they were inquisitive and hypothetical. In context, they could well be completely innocuous. Then again, they may not be, but I will not make up my mind until I am shown a full transcript. A couple of soundbites extracted from a whole conversation is not sufficient to condemn anyone. Anyway, This is the man from whom we're supposed to take lectures about sexism. And then of course it goes on. I was very offended personally when the Leader of the Opposition, as Minister of Health, said, and I quote, "Abortion is the easy way out." I was very personally offended by those comments. You said that in March 2004, I suggest you check the records. Doesn't convince me. Whatever Abbott's stance may be on abortion policy, there is no reason why he has to personally support it. I was also very offended on behalf of the women of Australia when in the course of this carbon pricing campaign, the Leader of the Opposition said "What the housewives of Australia need to understand as they do the ironing..." Thank you for that painting of women's roles in modern Australia. Gotta hand it to the PM, this one is pretty convincing. I am very reluctant to attribute anything to a " gaffe ", but this does show that Abbott harbours a degree of subconscious discrimination. But then, there is the whole "gaffe" issue.