Mike Pezzullo has been been at the peak of the public service for the past seven years.
The former PM said he was the architect of his own failures,but other speakers at Tony Abbott's tribute dinner tried to recast history in his favour.
Tony Abbott is one of the longest serving MPs in Parliament,and his opponents are exploiting the'it's time'factor.
"If things are a bit more difficult because you're a woman,don't waste your time and your effort whinging about it,"Ms Bishop said.