<p>Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has waded into Australia's bitter gender debate raging around Premier Julia Gillard by saying his successor may be a female as women have the all qualities needed in leaders.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"If the circumstances are such that a female Dalai Lama is more useful, then automatically a female Dalai Lama will come," the Dalai Lama said told reporters ahead of a 10-day tour of Australia.<br /><br />The Nobel Peace laureate is scheduled to speak in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin. Asked about the gender war reignited by Gillard, the 77-year-old monk said the world is facing a "moral crisis" of inequality and suffering and needs leaders who can bring compassion to their post.<br /><br />"In that respect, biologically, females have more potential. Females have more sensitivity about others' wellbeing. In my own case, my father, very short temper.<br /><br />"On a few occasions I also got some beatings. But my mother was so wonderfully compassionate," the Dalai Lama was quoted as saying by Australia's AAP news agency.<br />His comments come as an Australian opposition leader sparked a controversy by using "grossly sexist and offensive" words to describe Gillard's body at a party fundraiser menu.<br />Gillard demands the political scalp of Liberal candidate Mal Brough over the controversial menu.<br /><br />Opposition leader Tony "Abbott's solution to this pattern of behaviour is not to show any leadership. I mean, he's effectively stood by Brough," Gillard had said.<br /><br />Earlier this week, she had warned the Coalition's (a group of centre-right conservative parties) "men in blue ties" would marginalise women and treat abortion as a political plaything if Labor lost the September election. She accused Abbott of a pattern of misogynist behaviour.<br /></p>
<p>Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has waded into Australia's bitter gender debate raging around Premier Julia Gillard by saying his successor may be a female as women have the all qualities needed in leaders.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"If the circumstances are such that a female Dalai Lama is more useful, then automatically a female Dalai Lama will come," the Dalai Lama said told reporters ahead of a 10-day tour of Australia.<br /><br />The Nobel Peace laureate is scheduled to speak in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin. Asked about the gender war reignited by Gillard, the 77-year-old monk said the world is facing a "moral crisis" of inequality and suffering and needs leaders who can bring compassion to their post.<br /><br />"In that respect, biologically, females have more potential. Females have more sensitivity about others' wellbeing. In my own case, my father, very short temper.<br /><br />"On a few occasions I also got some beatings. But my mother was so wonderfully compassionate," the Dalai Lama was quoted as saying by Australia's AAP news agency.<br />His comments come as an Australian opposition leader sparked a controversy by using "grossly sexist and offensive" words to describe Gillard's body at a party fundraiser menu.<br />Gillard demands the political scalp of Liberal candidate Mal Brough over the controversial menu.<br /><br />Opposition leader Tony "Abbott's solution to this pattern of behaviour is not to show any leadership. I mean, he's effectively stood by Brough," Gillard had said.<br /><br />Earlier this week, she had warned the Coalition's (a group of centre-right conservative parties) "men in blue ties" would marginalise women and treat abortion as a political plaything if Labor lost the September election. She accused Abbott of a pattern of misogynist behaviour.<br /></p>