Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard`s attack on opposition leader Tony Abbott as "sexist and misogynist" in parliament has gone viral.
The Australian newspaper wrote Wednesday that Gillard has won international acclaim for her 15-minute attack on Abbott.
The video of her speech has attracted hundreds of thousands of views.
Her blistering speech went viral on the internet and followed weeks of debate over Abbott`s attitude towards women.
Gillard`s speech Tuesday followed an attempt by the opposition to sack Speaker Peter Slipper, who eventually resigned over a series of sexist text messages.
Senior figures on both sides spent much of their time debating the merits of Gillard`s impassioned rant, according to the newspaper.
Opposition figures said the speech marked a lapse of judgement.
An opposition frontbencher, Christopher Pyne, said: "Her defence of the Speaker Tuesday was insipid and pathetic and un-prime ministerial."
The opposition`s most senior woman Julie Bishop, deputy Liberal party leader, said Gillard was using gender to protect her from attacks on her performance.
Abbott Wednesday attacked Gillard for her willingness to "knife" Kevin Rudd - the former prime minister whom she ousted in 2010 - while refusing to sack the "vile" Slipper.
The New Yorker suggested US President Barack Obama could take a lesson from her ability to "cut through the disingenuousness and feigned moral outrage of her opponent".
IANS
