http://news.smh.com.au/national/sexism-behind-neal-attacks-labor-mp-20080612-2p8v.html

A Labor MP thinks sexism might be behind the targeting of troubled MP Belinda Neal.

Julia Irwin raised the question of gender after Ms Neal was on Wednesday forced to agree to anger management counselling over high-profile media reporting of a number of incidents.

"Why is it that women are singled out by reporting of these instances, why not the men?" Mrs Irwin told ABC Radio.

"I just feel that we have opened up Pandora's box, and if these are the rules then every member of parliament, whether it be male or female, can expect the slightest incident to be reported and action to be taken."

But Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella thinks Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was too slow to act against Ms Neal.

Mrs Mirabella, who will soon give birth, hit the headlines some weeks ago over comments she claimed Ms Neal said to her in relation to her unborn child.

"I actually called for (Ms Neal to be reprimanded) two weeks ago when Belinda Neal said my child would turn into a demon," Mrs Mirabella told the ABC.

"Why has it taken a string of front pages on the tabloid newspapers for Kevin Rudd to do something?"

The ABC said some senior Labor figures were unhappy with the treatment of Ms Neal, and felt the reprimand was too harsh.