text: Cate McGregor was surprised when she was unconditionally backed by the cricket community and the Australian Army. But it was Tony Abbott's response to her transformation from man to woman that knocked her for six. It took less than an hour for the federal Liberal leader to call Ms McGregor after she forwarded the chapter of her book that outed her. Ms McGregor recalled that very moment - during her address to the National Press Club on Wednesday - when the prime minister told her 'it was okay'. 'I actually said to him "your party won't be thrilled about this",' she said, the ABC reports. However the senior military official did not express the same kind of appraisal when it came to Mr Abbott's stance on same-sex marriage, saying she is 'sad' that he is not a supporter of it. Scroll down for video . Cate McGregor - now Group Captain in the Royal Australian Air Force - spent 40 years in the Army, most of those under the name Malcolm . Prime Minister Tony Abbott (left) publicly backed McGregor (right) by introducing her on ABC's Australian Story, when she detailed her struggles as a man and then as a trans-woman . Ms McGregor had put off discussing her gender dysmorphia with her long-time pal - a Catholic conservative who openly opposes same-sex marriage - and in hindsight 'grossly under-estimated his capacity for friendship'. 'He didn't run a focus group or ring (conservative Liberal members) Cory Bernardi or Kevin Andrews to see if it was ok,' McGregor says. 'There is a kind of a firefighter buried inside the politician still and he tends to barge into burning buildings if his friends are in there.' Mr Abbott publicly backed his friend by introducing her on ABC's Australian Story, when she detailed her struggles as a man and then as a trans-woman. Ms McGregor, now Group Captain in the Royal Australian Air Force, spent 40 years in the Army, most of those under the name Malcolm. In 2012, after years of drowning agonising pain with alcohol and drugs, McGregor stopped 'functioning' as a man and chose to live as a woman. She tried to resign from the office of former Chief of Army David Morrison when her transformation became public. He refused her resignation. 'It was easier to tell David Morrison I was transgendered than I was going to become an air force officer,' she said. 'I love the Army for that.' Mr Abbott sits with Ms McGregor to commentate during the International tour match between the Prime Minister's XI and England at Manuka Oval in Canberra last year . The senior officer addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday as part of a women in media series . McGregor a senior officer knows she's 'benefited enormously' from male privilege. But she'd willingly sacrifice it all to have lived as a woman from her early 20s. The cricket commentator, columnist and former staffer to Bob Carr, addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday as part of a women in media series. At times, she became tearful. But even through tears she had the room laughing. 'The hormones are obviously working,' she quipped. 'I guess if Michael Clarke had to cry during a eulogy, I get to do a weep.' McGregor believes Mr Abbott wasn't given the credit he deserved for publicly embracing her and risking a wedge within his own party. 'He received cynical abuse from some quarters,' she said. 'There's no denying it, he has been vilified and become a hate figure to some extent.' And she won't attack him publicly, including his stance on same-sex marriage or his performance as minister for women. 'The one thing I'm not going to do is shop a friend for a round of applause.' The ABC did however report that she said: 'He's not a supporter of gay marriage, I'm sad about that.'
target: Cate McGregor is a Group Captain in the Royal Australian Air Force .
  She spent 40 years in the army, most of those under the name Malcolm .
  In 2012, McGregor stopped 'functioning' as a man and lived as a woman .
  She tried to resign from the office  when her transformation became public .
  Her resignation was refused by former Chief of Army David Morrison .
  McGregor believes Mr Abbott wasn't given the credit he deserved for publicly embracing her and risking a wedge within his own party .
  She addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday as part of a women in media series .