NZ’s new Opposition Leader quizzed about baby plans just six hours into job

JACINDA Ardern just became NZ’s Opposition Leader — and it took only six hours for her to be asked the most inappropriate question.

COMMENT

IT TOOK just six hours for New Zealand’s new Opposition Leader to be asked about the state of her uterus.

Jacinda Ardern was unanimously elected leader of the Labour Party yesterday, less than two months before the country is set to go to the polls.

The 37-year-old has her work cut out for her, after a slew of recent polls indicated the party’s approval rating is disastrously low, down to 23 per cent.

Her appointment immediately provided a tremendous boost to her party — raising NZ$250,000 in donations and bringing in 1000 new volunteers within a single day.

But no, all anyone wants to talk about is her ticking biological clock.

We all know women are only here to make babies, right?

Is that really all you care about? What about the economy? Social issues? Environment? No? Picture: Marty Melville

The first question came when she appeared on New Zealand’s version of The Project last night.

Evidently, whether or not it should be asked had been the subject of hot debate before she joined the hosts at the desk.

“I’ve got a question and we’ve been discussing today whether or not I’m allowed to ask it,” said co-host Jesse Mulligan, while his female counterpart Kanoa Lloyd rolled her eyes and laughed awkwardly.

“A lot of women in New Zealand feel like they have to make a choice between having babies and having a career or continuing their career … so is that a decision you feel you have to make or that you feel you’ve already made?”

Ms Ardern politely replied her “dilemma” was no different to any other woman, demurely brushing off further questions on the subject.

Being a mother didn’t stop former Greens senator Larissa Waters from working. Picture: Lukas Coch

When the interrogation continued this morning, however, she’d had enough.

Radio host Mark Richardson said New Zealanders had a right to know whether there was a possibility their potential Prime Minister would need to take maternity leave.

She pointed her finger at him, and said forcefully: “You ... it is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say that women should have to answer that question in the workplace”.

His co-host, Amanda Gillies, started clapping in support of Ms Ardern.

When he tried to counter, she cut him off again.

“It is a woman’s decision about when they choose to have children. It should not predetermine whether or not they are given a job or have job opportunities”.

The exchange has sparked a passionate debate on Twitter, with many slamming the line of questioning as “misogynistic”.

If you're wondering why the reaction to Jacinda Ardern baby q, it's b/c NZ women have been reminded they're baby makers first and foremost

— Frances Cook (@FrancesCook) August 1, 2017

asking-jacinda-ardern-about-babies-is-sexist-stupid-and-irrelevant. Bored now move on .

— Bernadette Wichman (@Icequeenslam) August 2, 2017

Stoked to see @jacindaardern as the new leader for Labour. Sad to see that discrimination is still alive and well in NZ

— 🌊 Ruebs 🌊 (@RuebenSkipper) August 2, 2017

Ms Ardern isn’t even the first woman who could potentially lead New Zealand.

The country has already had two female Prime Ministers — Jenny Shipley from 1997-1999, and Helen Clark from 1999-2008.

Women aren’t exactly new to this government leadership caper, either.

Angela Merkel is the most powerful woman on earth. Theresa May runs the United Kingdom. Hillary Clinton was a formidable US presidential candidate.

The world has had plenty of time to digest the comments made by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2012, when she slammed Tony Abbott for having “repulsive double standards when it comes to misogyny and sexism”.

Unfortunately for Ms Ardern, she’s still of child-bearing age.

She’s been a politician nine years — and now she has to prove she can balance politics and family? Picture: Marty Melville

Despite the meteoric rise of her political career, she has said in the past she didn’t want to become Prime Minister, and that she’d rather have a private life.

Last year, she moved in with her partner, DJ Clarke Gayford, and in June this year she said in an interview that she does want to have a family.

She told Mark Richardson she knew she had opened herself up for this line of questioning because she’s discussed the issue so openly in the past.

“I decided to talk about it. It was my choice,” she admitted.

But when she turned the issue onto its head, it made everyone uncomfortable.

“Would you ask a man if they are likely to have kids in the future?” she asked.

Strangely enough, no-one has thought to ask what New Zealand’s 55-year-old Prime Minister Bill English will do with his penis if he’s re-elected.

You might say it’s completely irrelevant to his ability to govern the country.

Likewise, it’s no-one’s business what Ms Ardern does with her uterus.

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