Ex-Oz PM Julia Gillard opens up on sexism

Julia Gillard, who was dumped from her Australian Prime Minister's post by her ruling Labor party last month, has opened up for the first time on the sexism that plagued her leadership.

Gillard told author Anne Summers that conservative leader Tony Abbott had tipped her over the edge, portraying himself as some convert, or someone with a real understanding about what it's like to face the world as a woman and to feel the weight of that.

She said that the reaction to the misogyny speech did give her that sense that there are moments when she can talk about it that will have that resonance in other women.

Gillard revealed that she had spoken to former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton about the travails of female leadership, who told her that she never really felt that issue about gender when she was a senator.

The 51-year-old said that Clinton told her that she felt it very acutely when she put herself forward for executive office.