A controversial question about the Bali Nine from author Germaine Greer on an all female Q&A panel has failed to ruffle the feathers of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop but shocked audience members.

The disagreement between the two highly-accomplished woman arose after guest host Annabel Crabb asked Ms Bishop if she would ever contribute to the feminist “free the nipple” campaign by baring her nipples online.

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“It’s not something that I’ve ever actually had to the desire to do online. I’m quite adept at my emoji language and that’s about as radical as I get,” Ms Bishop said.

Never one to shy away the provocative, Ms Greer added followed up the question by asking Ms Bishop if she would consider baring her nipples to free Bali Nine members from death row.

“What if it got you the commutation of the life sentences for two Australians?” Ms Greer asked to the sound of audience members gasping.

Ms Bishop shook her head in disbelief while Ms Greer laughed and looked happy with herself.

“Please don’t go there, Germaine, please don’t go there,” Ms Bishop said, handling the goading like a true diplomat.

Speaking on the Seven Network on Tuesday morning, media personality Derryn Hinch said Ms Greer’s question was “obscene”.

“If a man had said that they would be crucified,” Hinch said.

“I hope the genuine feminists come out and tear her apart for this. It was obscene the way she put this to Julie Bishop … who handled it pretty well under the circumstances.”

Social media users joked on Twitter that a “death stare” was building between Ms Bishop and Ms Greer.

Others said the minister was becoming “increasingly uncomfortable” sitting next to the outspoken author.

Earlier in the program, Ms Bishop also addressed the question of why she refused to call herself a feminist, telling the audience: “It’s what you do that counts, not what you call yourself”.

“The more people demand I describe myself as a feminist, the more I say let me describe (myself) how I wish.”

“I don’t want to be stereotyped and I don’t want to be pigeonholed.”

throwback to 2 minutes ago when germaine greer dared julie bishop to show her nips to jokowi to save chan and sukumaran #qanda

— Tiger Webb (@tfswebb) March 9, 2015

I feel as though Julie Bishop is looking increasingly uncomfortable sitting next to Germaine Greer #qanda

— Lucy Cormack (@LucyCormack) March 9, 2015

I can see a death stare building up when Julie Bishop looks at Germaine Greer. #qanda — Lord Terry Frost (@terryfrost) March 9, 2015

Germaine Greer trying to play a game of ‘what if’ with Julie Bishop #qanda — Freya Noble (@freyanoble) March 9, 2015

Germaine Greer asking if Julie Bishop would post nude online to prevent the Bali 9 death penalty, is a great moment in Aust TV #QandA — Ben Damon (@ben_damon) March 9, 2015

We are all Julie Bishop rn #QandA pic.twitter.com/8dTj1wGkNu — Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) March 9, 2015