P.M for women. Well and truly in control.

Dear reader, I’m not so upset about another old fogey misogynist having a crack at someone because she’s a woman. I accept that in my stride. That’s part of being ‘Team Australia’. Can’t forget, the most sexist PM we’ve ever had, Tony Abbott, was the ‘PM for women’, and ‘aboriginal australians’. I’m not worried about that in the least. They do their thing and they appeal to an increasingly ossified rusk of predominately white Australians who are still latched onto Arthur Caldwell.

Two blokes and a sheilah walk into a TV Studio.

And the rest of the dinosaurs really enjoy it. It gives them a sense of relevance in a frightening changing world. Women challenge them, from newly acquired positions of authority. What was once their unassailable perch is now threatened by other ‘minority groups’, even people with coloured skin, and funny relations. Not worried about that in the least. But what does worry me is the language. They employ overt agressive, and patronising language to bludgeon their opposition, to assert their right. And if a woman counters as Van so skillfully did, she’s talked over, ignored and rebuked. The physical reaction was palpable.

And then, you’d think that’d be the end of it. But, increasingly these ossified males, when they feel they haven’t had a fair go, will spend an entire week in self justification, and dismember the incident with agonizing detail. And not for a moment think that the problem may just be with themselves. They hate powerful women. Scares them to death.

Steve Price has gone off and sulked. The best sulk so far, is the Logie award winning performance by Sam Newman in standing up for his mate Eddie. Sam didn’t need to stand up for Eddy. What Eddy did was childish, and about the level we expect from the senior tier of club executives. Eddie after significant prodding, made an apology. The apology was a long time in coming, and as scripted as Johnny Depp and Amber’s, apology to Barnaby. It was almost up there with Shane Warne’s, doping and betting apologies. The apology and other lapses on Adam Goodes behalf, were left in the ether. As little thought bubbles of old school values set adrift in modern Australia.

What stood out in Sam’s rebuttal to Caroline Wilson, for complaining of her treatment in being dunked, drowned and cheered to death, was the language and physical aggression used. If he was back in the schoolyard he would’ve just punched her! And probably called her a slag! Instead, Sam used the term ‘excrement’. He meant to say ‘shit’. But Sam is at pains to point out he’s a gentleman, and gentlemen don’t use words like that. He’s also on the panel of the footy show. He used ‘excrement’ emphatically, and then finished, with ‘you’re an embarrassment’. To whom we might ask?.. To his mates. She makes him and his mates embarrassed. That’s the truth of it, and for that she should just go away.

Same thing happened with Steve Price. Van called him up on his ingrained, confrontational sexism and he just talked over her, with George Brandis nodding sagely. That’s the problem with Q and A. It’s too clever by far and often defeats itself in stereotyping and providing a theatre for malcontents and rat-bags. I thought Van took it well, “youll probably blame my ovaries”. But it’s simpler than that. At the level these men are thinking, the old schoolyard taint applies “ what you say is what you are”, and it should end there.