Gillard's 'misogyny speech' lauded

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she had "no inkling" of the effect her so-called misogyny speech aimed at Opposition Leader Tony Abbott would have.

She made the comments after being voted the most influential female voice in Australia by Fairfax Media's Daily Life website.

The site lauded her for the now famous speech in October, saying it was a "watershed moment" for Australian women.

"Our first female Prime Minister had kept silent on sexism directed at her and entrenched in Australian politics since her election, but when she spoke it wasn't just Australia, but the world, that stopped and listened," a statement on their website said.

But Ms Gillard, in an accompanying interview with Fairfax, had no idea how much attention the world would pay to the speech until Treasurer Wayne Swan told her.

"I thought I had given a hard-hitting speech but I didn't have any inkling of the effect of it," she said.

"I said to Wayne, `Oh, we're going to have to sit here now and listen to all these bloody speeches in reply. I should get my chief of staff to bring some correspondence so at least I can be getting on with something.'

"And Wayne, with a slightly odd look on his face ... said, `You can't really give the `I accuse' speech and settle back and do your correspondence'."

She said women had shown their support of the speech by sending her notes and presents.

Media commentator Anne Summers was voted the second most influential woman in Australia, followed by social commentator, writer and lecturer Jane Caro, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick and Walkley award winning journalist and 7.30 Report anchor Leigh Sales.