Germaine Greer lashes Julie Bishop on The Project

SHE was recently the most powerful woman in politics and came close to being the Libs’ first female leader, but Julie Bishop has not impressed Germaine Greer.

AUSTRALIA’S most famous feminist has delivered a harsh blow to the woman who was up until recently the nation’s most powerful woman in politics, Julie Bishop.

Appearing on The Project, controversial academic and writer Germaine Greer snickered and pursed her lips when asked if she thought Ms Bishop would have made a good prime minister.

Greer initially refused to answer the question, saying “that’s not fair”, but when pressed by her interrogator, host Hamish Macdonald, she gave a cryptic answer.

“Please. She’s had a charmed life, but she knows when her sun has set,” she said.

Ms Greer also managed to take a dig at the former foreign minister’s style, saying, “Paspaley will have to take back all those pearls.”

Before targeting Ms Bishop, Greer took a swipe at all women in Australian politics, scoffing at the suggestion any of them were “brilliant”.

When Macdonald suggested there were brilliant women in politics, Greer questioned, “Where are they? What are they doing?”

Germaine Greer is not impressed by the women in Canberra. Picture: Channel 10

Asked if Australia was ready for another female prime minister, she said: “That depends upon the women.”

“I’m going to get in so much trouble for saying this. I think the women might have to be a bit better at their job,” she said.

Greer did manage to identify female politician who she was impressed by, but chose one a long way from Canberra.

“I could say Angela Merkel, but she’s not in Australia.”

Earlier in the interview, Greer and Macdonald clashed on the subject of sentences for rape, which Greer explores in her new book, On Rape. In the book, Greer suggests “we will have to reduce the penalties for rape”.

Interviewer Hamish Macdonald had to pull the controversial feminist up on a few points. Picture: Channel 10

“It is really shocking to reveal just how many there are miscarriages, either the wrong people or the DNA ignored and the fresh convictions are being plead with the same DNA that men have already served 15 years in prison. It’s too long,” she said.

Macdonald pushed Greer on why she was “more concerned” about people getting sentences that are too long than other incidents of rape that went unpunished.

“That’s not true to say. I am not more concerned about that,” she argued.

“Lots of women are saying we should reduce the burden of proof. We should ignore whether or not the perpetrator believed that the victim was consenting and that means we abrogate his civil rights. Well, if you do, then I’m saying you have to reduce the sentence.”

Macdonald: “While reporting of rape is growing in Australia just 10% of reported rapes end in a conviction. What you’re asking women to accept is a bargain whereby in order for women to be believed they have to accept that the punishment won’t be as bad.”

Greer: “No, no, I’m not offering them that bargain. What I’m trying to point out is if you …”

Macdonald: “That is essentially what you’re saying.”

Greer: No, no, it isn’t. It’s one sentence in the book. What I did say is if you lower the burden of proof you’ll probably have to lower the tariff and if you do that there’ll be an outcry.”