Andrew Bolt: Is Speaker of federal parliament Milton Dick gallant or a goof?
To have the Speaker of our federal parliament treat female politicians more gently than the men may seem like gallantry, but smacks of patronising. So what are the new rules?
Andrew Bolt
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I bought into the feminist movement’s demand to treat women as equals. But now Milton Dick, Speaker of our federal parliament, says even female politicians still need special protection.
Yes, in parliament on Wednesday he reprimanded opposition politicians heckling communications minister Michelle Rowland as she claimed the wicked Liberals could sell the NBN.
“Yelling is unparliamentary,” Dick declared.
“But it’s also disrespectful, particularly when a female minister is on her feet.”
Pardon? I doubt Michelle Rowland was impressed. She seems smart and tough, and I’m guessing would resent the idea of “particularly” needing men to look after her.
To have men treat her more gently might seem like gallantry, but smacks of patronising. I admit to still being gallant myself, and know to my shame it does make me feel a supposed greater toughness and responsibility.
As it happens, hours before Dick’s dictum, I read this headline in The Australian, about a sensational court battle between Sydney billionaire Richard White and a former lover, beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan: “Billionaire accused of providing business advice and funding in exchange for sexual relationship.”
Looking at Rogan, once in the running for a spot on Real Housewives of Sydney, it seemed to me she wasn’t the type to be pushed around.
If so, an alternative headline seemed possible: “Woman admits to sleeping with billionaire to get business advice and funding.”
Rogan told the court she slept with White after he flew her to New York to discuss her “Bionik Wellness” business: “When I arrived at the Park Lane Hotel to check in, I was informed that only 1 suite had been arranged.
“I realised that Richard expected me to enter into a sexual relationship with him to fulfil the promise that he would invest in my business. So I stayed with Richard in his suite and our relationship became sexual.”
That word “so”. Other women might have declined giving sex for the money, which in this case was a lot – a $1m salary, and the rental of a $13.1m Vaucluse house White bought for Rogan.
I make no moral judgments. I’m just trying to work out why White, the man, gets painted as the user of a poor woman when we seem to have two strong individuals in a mutual use-use until the relationship went bust.
So what are the new rules? Are women the weaker sex or not? Is Milton Dick gallant or a goof?
Originally published as Andrew Bolt: Is Speaker of federal parliament Milton Dick gallant or a goof?
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