VETERAN broadcaster Alan Jones has claimed Prime Minister Julia Gillard's father "died of shame" because of his daughter's political "lies".

The 2GB host told a group of 100 Young Liberals that John Gillard's death was the fault of his proud child, and went on to suggest that the Prime Minister's tears of grief, for a man she publicly said she "will miss for the rest of my life", were what sparked a sudden leap in political polling for her.

Mr Gillard, a former psychiatric nurse, died in Adelaide on September 8, aged 83.

Jones made the remarks during a 50-minute speech at the annual $100-a-head Sydney University Liberal Club President's Dinner, on the top floor of Sydney's Waterfront restaurant in The Rocks on Saturday last week.

After referring to Ms Gillard's track record over issues such as the carbon tax, Jones said her father's death was caused by the Prime Minister herself.

"The old man recently died a few weeks ago of shame," he told his audience. "To think that he had a daughter who told lies every time she stood for Parliament. Every person in the caucus of the Labor Party knows that Julia Gillard is a liar."

Some members of the audience gasped with surprise.

Jones went on to say Ms Gillard's tears had sparked a recent spike in her popularity.

"Of course, she's ahead in preferred Prime Minister (polls)," he said. "She cries because her father died, she's on the news every day."

He also said Ms Gillard was being given an easy ride by the "brainwashed" Liberal Party who had backed down because she was a woman.

Organisers of the dinner were unaware a News Limited journalist, who bought a ticket, was present throughout the evening.

While paying tribute to her father in Parliament on September 19, Ms Gillard spoke of the rough and tumble of politics and how that affected the family.

She said her father "felt more deeply than me, in many ways, some of the personal attacks that we face in the business of politics, but I was always able to reassure him that he had raised a daughter with sufficient strength not to let that get her down".

Jones used his speech to make several remarks about why Liberal leader Tony Abbott should be prime minister.

"His overweening weakness is his humility," he said. "You will never ever hear this bloke argue his ability, his virtue, or indeed his competence. He is a man of incomparable integrity and conviction."

Yesterday Jones did not respond to multiple approaches for comment.

Sydney University Liberal Club president Alex Dore, an aspiring MP, said yesterday that Jones had not made the comments about Ms Gillard's father. Later, when he was told there was a recording of the speech, his position changed.

"It was a very long speech and I did not hear it," he said.

"I have always found Alan to be respectful. This is getting ridiculous, you asking about these comments."

He added: "All you are doing is reducing (Jones's speech) to a very small thing which distracts from the important issues facing Australia."

During the five-hour event Young Liberals member Simon Berger, Woolworths' community relations manager, sang several spoof songs ridiculing Labor and extolling Jones as a champion for "battlers". One song referred to "chaff bags", which have been mentioned frequently on Jones's radio show.

In June 2011, Jones suggested on 2GB that Ms Gillard and Sydney Mayor Clover Moore should be disposed of.

"Put (Moore) in the same chaff bag as Julia Gillard and throw them both out to sea," he said.

Towards the end of last weekend's dinner event a jacket made from chaff bags and signed by Jones was auctioned. Other items to go under the hammer included fishnet stockings signed by former foreign minister Alexander Downer and a pair of "budgie smugglers" signed by Mr Abbott.

The Liberal leader had previously expressed his condolences for the Prime Minister in comments that appear at odds with those expressed by Jones.

"This is a tragic time for (Ms Gillard) and we all feel for her at this very difficult and sad time," he told Parliament.

"It is a remarkable parent who produces a prime minister of this country."