Julia Gillard treated harshly due to gender: Bandt

AUSTRALIAN Greens MP Adam Bandt has backed Greens leader Bob Brown’s comment that Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been given an especially hard time because of her gender.

Mr Bandt said this was real and palpable and many were feeling it.

He said there was a real difference in tone in the way Ms Gillard was treated compared to previous prime ministers.

“For example, we had Mike Willesee asking the prime minister whether she often cried. I can’t imagine John Howard being asked that question,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.

Mr Bandt said Mr Howard was strongly criticised during his time as prime minister but that paled in comparison to some of the things said about Ms Gillard on signs at protests or on social media.

“There is an element of either holding to a different standard or perhaps thinking that you can go a bit further and it’s fair game, perhaps because she’s a woman. I don’t think that infects every criticism but it is present,” he said.