Australian opposition leader says “no doesn’t mean no” when (woman) PM says it

Things are hotting up in Australia's election campaign. Unfortunately for Tony Abbott, the opposition leader, things aren't going too well for him with women voters after he levelled an inappropriate sexual phrase at Julia Gillard, the current prime minister. 

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that, when asked whether he would accept her invitation to take part in more television debates, he replied:"She said no repeatedly, and when she said no, I thought she meant no. She's surely not trying to say to us that no doesn't mean no … when she said no I believed her."

Given that this phrase is renowned the world over as an anti-rape slogan, it has been criticised by women's groups in Australia. 

The Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) says Mr Abbott's repeated use of the phrase indicates it was part of a premeditated attack on the country's first female prime minister. 

"In an election campaign we know that the backroom boys tell them what to say," WEL coordinator Kathleen Swinbourne told AAP (Australian press agency).

"If you're going to repeat the phrase it indicates to us that this is scripted, this is strategy."

Ms Swinbourne said "no means no" was a well-established anti-female violence slogan and Mr Abbott was playing the gender card by co-opting it.

Thanks to MyFault,I'mFemale on Twitter for this story.