Footage of a conservative “action-hero” gyrating all over an image of Independent candidate Zali Steggall prompted giggles from some and cries of ‘gross’ from others. For me, it was a reminder of the broader picture of sexism in Australian politics.

Zali is running against Tony Abbott who once famously mused that it “would be folly to expect that women will ever dominate or even approach equal representation in a large number of areas simply because their aptitudes, abilities and interests are different for physiological reasons.” It must be a shock for Abbott and his backers to suddenly have a confident independent woman nipping at their heels in what has always been a safe Liberal held seat.