Scott Morrison has conceded "blokes don't always get it right" but insists he is doing his best to address the treatment of women in politics.
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The prime minister has been forced to apologise after attacking a journalist over a false claim of harassment.
He made the accusation while defending his handling of cultural issues in parliament.
Mr Morrison said he was trying to create a culture of respect.
"Blokes don't get it right all the time, we all know that, but what matters is that we're desperately trying to, and that's what I'm trying to do," he told 2GB radio on Wednesday.
"We will get this right - we all need to focus on that."
The prime minister said the issue of respect for women extended beyond Parliament House.
"This is a societal challenge," he said.
"One of the things you learn pretty quickly in government is that government can't solve all these problems."
Mr Morrison said the government could certainly do its bit, but everyone had a role to play.
"And if everyone sits back and says 'well, the government's going to fix this', well, it won't get fixed."
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said it was extraordinary for the prime minister to attack a media organisation in the middle of a press conference.
Ms Plibersek said there were deeper problems with his angry outburst.
"Right now, we're engaged in a big review of culture here at Parliament House," she said.
"To participate in that review, people have to have confidence that they can come forward and tell their story confidentially.
"What the prime minister did yesterday really undermined that."
Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume said the prime minister made a mistake and it was time to move on.
"I think he thinks it was an error, that he mis-stepped there, that he over spoke and that he was misinformed," Senator Hume said.
"He's apologised for that and that was the right thing to do. The question is now, how do we move on?"
Greens leader Adam Bandt said the prime minister's apology was not good enough.
"The PM must explain to parliament today how this lie came into being and why he told the public something that wasn't true," he said.
"If he's prepared to say something like this that appears simply made up, what else has he told the public that isn't true?"
Australian Associated Press
