The nation's top judge has said the move towards gender equality in the legal profession has been "too slow" in Australia and questioned whether "thoughtful and courteous" political debate can exist in the age of social media.

High Court Chief Justice Robert French, who retires from the bench on January 29, said the appointment of Justice Susan Kiefel as his successor was "a wonderful thing" but he looked forward to the day when a woman leading the court was "unremarkable".

The Turnbull government made history in November when it announced Justice Kiefel would become the country's first female chief justice.

"I think everybody would agree that the process of equalisation of the role of women in the profession and in the judiciary is slow, and too slow," Chief Justice French said in an interview with Fairfax Media.