TIM PALMER: On the eve of a long planned trip to China, the Prime Minister has set about boosting her profile on the international stage.

This afternoon Julia Gillard addressed a group of foreign correspondents based in Sydney - the people responsible for portraying Australia to the rest of the world.

She was quizzed about asylum seekers, the election, New Zealanders and misogyny.

But even though her answers could be reported anywhere across the globe, Julia Gillard's message was clearly aimed at a home crowd.

James Glenday reports.

JAMES GLENDAY: It's a question that confounds many international observers - how can Australia's economy be the envy of the developed world and the Federal Government so unpopular?

JULIA GILLARD: It seems hardly a week passes when a respected overseas journal or international organisation doesn't point out Australia's good fortune and puzzle over our fractious politics.

JAMES GLENDAY: The Prime Minister Julia Gillard didn't directly try and solve that puzzle during a speech to the Foreign Correspondents Association in Sydney. Instead she spruiked Australia's low unemployment rate, AAA credit rating and economic growth. Achievements she says are often overlooked.

JULIA GILLARD: In a loud and clamorous political marketplace, where bad news sells and crazy fear campaigns abound, the facts don't always get to speak for themselves.

JAMES GLENDAY: She called for more debate on policy rather than politics in the lead up to the election and attacked the Coalition's campaign on the nation's levels of debt and deficit.

JULIA GILLARD: Anyone who pretends the GFC didn't happen should be treated as the same kind of amusing curiosity as those who believe the Earth is flat. Certainly it is impossible for such a person to play any role in the hard decision making necessary in our nation's life.

JAMES GLENDAY: Australian voters were obviously today's target but foreign journalists were the audience. They wanted to know about mineral exports, US marines, welfare rights for New Zealanders and the nation's attitude towards asylum seekers.

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT: This issue around boat people gets you very negative press. Reputational damage is being done to Australia. Do you take a measure of responsibility for that?

JULIA GILLARD: I think if you stood and vox popped on the streets of London, if you did it in France, if you did it in much of Europe, you would get a variety of views expressed, some of them quite harsh views about the people who are seeking asylum. So I don't think that that is an Australian phenomenon, I just don't.

JAMES GLENDAY: Last year the so-called misogyny speech put Julia Gillard in the international limelight and one reporter suggested Australian politicians and the media are hostile.

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT 2: How much do you think of this is based on misogyny?

JULIA GILLARD: For all of the years before you would see a man in a suit. I am not a man in a suit and I think that has taken the nation some time to get used to. I think it's probably still taking the nation a bit of time to get used to.

JAMES GLENDAY: The Prime Minister will continue to sell Australia to overseas audiences. Tomorrow she'll lead the most senior delegation ever to visit China.

JULIA GILLARD: The timing of this visit so soon after the new leadership has entered into office is deliberate and reflects the importance of our rapidly evolving relationship with China and our high level political oversight of that relationship. We will win in this Asian century.

JAMES GLENDAY: Winning in the Asian century is one thing. Whether that translates into Labor winning in September remains to be seen.

TIM PALMER: James Glenday reporting.