TONY Abbott has reignited claims he has a problem with women by suggesting his paid parental leave scheme is vital to ensure women "of calibre" have families.
The Opposition Leader's comments came as he was yesterday forced to defend his planned $4.2 billion scheme amid a backlash from Coalition colleagues, three of whom have condemned it in recent days as economically irresponsible.
Business leaders have also criticised the scheme, which would be funded through a levy on 3000 of the nation's biggest companies. Under the plan, new mothers would for six months after the birth of a baby receive their full wage, including superannuation contributions, capped at $75,000.
Mr Abbott yesterday again vowed to implement the scheme in his first term, saying the women it would benefit were "in the prime of life and they should be able not just to have kids but to have careers".
"When a woman takes leave because she is having a baby she should be paid at her wage just as if a bloke takes leave to go on holidays he should be paid at his wage," Mr Abbott said.
"We do not want educated women, at the higher degree level, to deny them a career. If we want women of that calibre to have families - and we should - well we've got to give them a fair dinkum chance to do so and that's what this scheme of paid parental leave is all about."
The gaffe was described by the Government, and on social media, as patronising and offensive, with some suggesting it could be Mr Abbott's "binders full of women" moment - a reference to failed US presidential candidate Mitt Romney's memorably awkward comment about filling spots on his cabinet when he was a state governor.
Finance Minister Penny Wong tweeted: "Am wondering who Abbott thinks the women not of calibre are? A woman's calibre is not determined by what she earns."
HEADING FOR TROUBLE: Tony Abbott is in hot water over his paid parental leave scheme.
But Opposition women's affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash accused Labor of a "deliberate distortion" of what Mr Abbott said - and that he had been "commenting on the clear advantages" of the Coalition's policy.
Feminist Eva Cox also said the criticism was an overreaction.
"Paid parental leave is a salary-related, work-related payment, not a welfare payment - I think that's what Tony Abbott was trying to say in a somewhat clumsy way," Ms Cox said.
The hashtag #Womenofcalibre began trending highly on Twitter with many heaping criticism on Mr Abbott.
"I am deliberately barren, I doubt Tony even thinks I'm a woman let alone a #WomenOfCalibre luckily I couldn't give a rats arse," said one person on Twitter.
Labor has relentlessly targeted Mr Abbott with accusations he has a "problem with women".
The campaign peaked late last year with Prime Minister Julia Gillard calling him a "misogynist".
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