'It's women competing against women' ... Sarah Murdoch on the cover of Women's Weekly. Ms Murdoch said she doesn't like airbrushed photographs of herself. "I think when I'm retouched in photographs it's worse, because when people see me in real life, they go, 'Oh, God, isn't she old?," she told the magazine. She said she wonders what young women who get Botox will look like when they're older. "It makes me mad that we can't embrace the beauty of ageing, because we're all going to do it."

Her husband would be "horrified" if she ever did anything to her face, she said. "It's women competing against women, they're not doing it for their husbands. "It's because their best friend doesn't have as many lines as they have, maybe. "God forbid if I ever do decide to do something!" During the interview Ms Murdoch told the magazine she hoped they wouldn't airbrush her photograph too much and agreed when editor Helen McCabe asked if a completely non-airbrushed photo could be used.

"It's certainly not been done in any recent history of the ," Ms McCabe told AAP. Ms McCabe said the magazine often received letters about their use of airbrushing but Ms Murdoch's example may not set a precedent. "I can't possibly commit to that, I'm a realist. "There are real business imperatives why magazines have gone this way, it's a very competitive industry and I'm at this stage just taking a little baby step and seeing how this goes for now." She said she was interested to see what kind of debate was stirred up by the issue of the magazine, which goes on sale on Wednesday.

"The one point I have to make is that this is possibly one of, if not the most beautiful woman in Australia that I've done this to, so the risk is not that high." Meanwhile, Sarah Murdoch and former Cosmopolitan editor Mia Freedman have helped launch a report today calling for a national strategy on body image. The Government will consider recommendations calling for standardised sizing on women’s clothing sold in Australia and a voluntary code of conduct calling on the media to show more diverse body shapes. A formal response to the report is expected early next year.

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AAP with Yuko Narushima

