tony does not have a problem with women

Margie Abbott says husband Tony does not have a problem with women

FED up with claims that her husband has a problem with women, Tony Abbott's wife of 24 years has taken the extraordinary step of speaking out against his critics.

Margie Abbott will make a public appearance in Western Sydney today with an Abbott's Angels-style line up, which will include their daughter Frances, his mother and two of his sisters.

The appearance of the Abbott family women and Mrs Abbott's attack on his critics marks the start of an aggressive bid by the Coalition to explode Labor's claims the Opposition Leader has a problem dealing with women.

And the rallying by the Abbott family women could also address Mr Abbott's weak popularity with female voters.

Ahead of making a speech today to more than 80 Liberal women in Penrith, Mrs Abbott penned an exclusive piece about her husband for News Ltd, in which she declares: "I won't stand by and let others claim that the man I love and the father my children adore, has some agenda against women."

Her spirited remarks come after the release of David Marr's quarterly essay, which detailed allegations, which Mr Abbott rejects, that he once punched a wall beside the head of then university politician Barbara Ramjan.

It also follows attacks by Attorney-General Nicola Roxon, who claimed Mr Abbott had a problem with capable women and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek, who claimed the Opposition Leader had difficulty dealing with women in positions of authority.

"I know these distortions are not true and have decided to speak up in response to these personal and groundless attacks," Mrs Abbott writes.

She said she, along with her daughters Louise, 23, Frances, 21, and Bridget, 19, had seen what she described as "a very deliberate campaign under way trying to raise doubts about Tony and his relationship with women".

She describes how her daughters "are living the life that feminists aspire for every young woman...and the love and support of their father has played a big part in that."

In her speech today, Mrs Abbott will speak of what she terms "the joy of an ordinary life" with her husband and children.

"Raising children, paying a mortgage, balancing work and family, caring for older relatives, dealing with life's stresses and satisfactions is often said to be an average, typical or ordinary life and I understand the uses of those words, but raising children, encouraging your spouse, caring for loved ones, enjoying your work and contributing to your community, is never just ordinary it's central to who we are as individuals and as members of our community," she will say.

"In my case, my ordinary life has experienced the joy of seeing our three little girls emerge into confident, happy young women who though not perfect, would make any parent proud.

"It is an ordinary life that experiences the exhilaration, and sometimes the frustration, of being married to a man who is just so optimistic, who sees any of life's challenges as great opportunities while I tend to see the potential downside."

Mrs Abbott, who runs a community based childcare centre, will add that "I am an ordinary person, who experiences life's satisfactions and tribulations no more and no less than the next person, however, I do find myself in an extraordinary situation.

"Our lives are not extraordinary, they are very ordinary, it's just that we now happen to be in an extraordinary situation."