Admitting they were heading into unchartered territory, US media outlets have reached out to their Australian counterparts for guidance on how to properly report on a female head of government.

An editor from The New York Post said he assumed that it was best to focus on jacket choices first, before commenting on hair style, but he wanted to be sure. “It may be best to approach it from another angle – hair first, jacket second.

“It’s important to get this right – it’s the potential leader of our country we’re talking about. I’m looking forward to learning from the Australian experience”.

A spokesperson for the Australian media said balance was essential when it came to politics. “I think if you’re going to have an opinion piece analysing a leader’s skirts, that’s fine. But make sure you provide an alternative view on her suit pant choices too. That’s the advice I’ll be passing on”.