Former foreign minister Julie Bishop says the "embarrassing circus" of "appalling behaviour" she has witnessed in Canberra simply wouldn't be "tolerated in any other workplace across Australia".

Speaking at a Women's Weekly event in Sydney about the bullying culture in Parliament, Ms. Bishop said there's a problem that needs to be addressed.

"I have seen and witnessed and experienced some appalling behaviour in parliament, the kind of behaviour that 20 years ago when I was managing partner of a law firm of 200 employees I would never have accepted," she said.  "When a feisty, amazing woman like Julia Banks says this environment is not for me, don't say: 'Toughen up, princess.'  Say: 'Enough is enough.'"

MP Julia Banks and Senator Lucy Gichuhi, both of the Liberal Party, say they were subjected to bullying and intimidation from male colleagues during last month's leadership spill.  Banks was so disillusioned that she decided not to contest the next election.

Such incidents lead to the Liberals' dearth of female representation, which Bishop says should be greater than 25 percent at this point.

"It's not acceptable for our party to contribute to the fall in Australia's ratings from 15th in the world in terms of female parliamentary representation in 1999 to 50th today," she said.  "There's a lot to be done.

"Our party, in fact all parties, recognise they have a problem in attracting and maintaining women, diversity in general."