Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash has lashed Bill Shorten over his "prehistoric" comments about women organising childcare.

Senator Nash has called on the opposition leader's female colleagues to denounce the "disgraceful" statement about men relying on women to look after day care.

"That is prehistoric language and I'm extremely surprised that Tanya Plibersek and other Labor women haven't come out and condemned Bill Shorten for making those comments," she told reporters in Tamworth on Monday.