Today hosts squabble over Sonia Kruger’s final question in Julie Bishop interview

It’s a simple question Julie Bishop often gets asked but Richard Wilkins still had a dig at co-host Sonia Kruger for asking it.

When it comes to Julie Bishop’s fashion statements people often sit in one of two camps — outrage over why people even talk about what she’s wearing or elation over her choices making powerful, feminine statements.

It seems Richard Wilkins sits in camp one and Sonia Kruger in camp two, if their kerfuffle on Today Extra this morning indicates anything.

The pair were interviewing the former deputy leader of the Liberal Party when Kruger got to the final question she was itching to ask — just what will Australia’s most fashionable politician be wearing on election night?

“Oh Sonia. That’s irrelevant,” Wilkins shot out, crossing his arms.

“I’m interested. I like fashion,” she replied.

The moment it went down: Wilkins immediately crossed his arms and wasn’t impressed with Kruger’s question. Picture: Channel 9

Wilkins then tried to save his co-host from an unpleasant reaction from Ms Bishop.

“She will be wearing something fabulous, clearly,” he said.

But in true, classy J-Bish style, she was happy to provide an answer.

“I haven’t actually thought that far ahead,” she said.

“But I’ll put my mind to it as it draws near. So as soon as the Prime Minister calls the election, I’ll go straight to the wardrobe and find something highly appropriate.”

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Wilkins fired up but Ms Bishop took it in her stride.

Ms Bishop is taking part in Channel 9’s election coverage, something she earlier said was difficult to plan for without a date.

“I wish I knew the date. That would be a start because I will have to come over from Perth,” she said.

Asked if she had any predictions on who would win, she said she was confident the Coalition would be returned to government.

“I think it was a very good Budget and I’m looking forward to seeing all of my colleagues return to their seats,” she said.

“I won’t be going back. But I’m hoping that the Coalition will be returned.”

The former foreign minister said she’d be heading straight to the wardrobe when the election date is called.

Once a strong contender for the top job, Ms Bishop was asked what she would have done differently during the leadership spill in August.

The former foreign minister turned the battle into a three-way contest when she threw her hat into the ring to go up against Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton.

During the spill that saw Mr Morrison became Liberal leader, he beat Mr Dutton by 45 votes to 40.

Ms Bishop snuck in a jab at Mr Morrison in her response on Today.

“I would have called an election straight away I think,” she said.

“The upheaval in the leadership stakes was damaging, I think. And so I probably would have gone to an election early. But that’s all water under the bridge. A footnote in political history.”

Ms Bishop also appeared on Studio 10 earlier in the morning and made similar comments. She appeared on both programs to promote Witchery’s annual White Shirt Campaign.

She is one ambassadors of the campaign which partners with the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation to raise money to develop an early detection test for the disease.