My word against 'a liar, sexist pig, imbecile': PM

When Julia Gillard took on her critics over the AWU slush fund affair in her second marathon news conference on the controversy in three months, it was another impressive performance.

Steely and angry, she rejected a range of allegations, admitted there were some things she didn't remember, protested her total innocence, and challenged her accusers to say what she had done wrong.

'Why didn't she report the irregularities of the slush fund in 1995?' she was asked. Because she only knew of the rumours – she didn't have hard evidence. She had no access to the slush fund's bank account. Her role in its establishment had been only to provide legal advice.