Q&A: Wendy Harmer, broadcaster, 63

Wendy Harmer on her political ambitions, late motherhood and drawing the line with men.

Funny: Wendy Harmer.

You met your husband Brendan at an election night party. What were the first words he said to you? It was the night of the “unlosable election” of 1993 and I arrived nursing the mother of all broken hearts. I was watching the TV with a warmish bottle of riesling… and then he walked in. He sat down next to me and whispered the words: Eden Monaro.

Your father wanted you to be Australia’s first female PM. Did you ever entertain the idea of going into politics? I did – very seriously. Years ago I considered running in a NSW state election and asked a few political people what they thought; one minister got down on her knee in front of me and said “whatever you do, don’t do this thing!” She said the toll on my family would be extraordinary. A federal politician said: “Do you want to be woken up at 5.30 in the morning for a comment?” I would have loved to fulfil my dad’s dream for me but I think I’ve got good skills I can lend in other areas.

Your kids Marley and Maeve are grown now – is it too late? Well they have, but [laughs] I’m a mere husk of a woman now.

Twenty-five years ago you thought you’d never have a family, then suddenly it all fell into place. Do you believe in karma? My mother left home when I was 10, and I really do believe that the greatest karmic thing that’s ever happened to me is to have these two children late in life. They’ve allowed me to “redo” the mothering I missed out on.

From being the only girl reporter at The Geelong Advertiser, you went on to stand-up comedy, TV and radio – very blokey domains. How did you cope? I could write a book about bad-boy behaviour… I learnt eventually to set up a fence that was very clearly known and to say “don’t step over this line”. But knowing where to draw the line only comes from years of experience and perseverance.

Are you glad you started your career before the age of social media? Oh my god, yes. The time before social media was a golden age. Imagine me doing the Logies [in 2002, in a savagely reviewed stint as host] and being tweeted at the whole time I was trying to deliver my jokes? I know comedians who have had really terrible reactions who quit social media for good.

Have you found peace with 3.45am starts for breakfast radio? It was worse when I was on 2DayFM in the ’90s because I had two babies so had to get up earlier. But Brendan has always been the stay-at-home dad and it’s odd, the hours kind of suited.

You and Robbie Buck have a lovely, easy banter on your ABC Sydney breakfast radio show. Does that take a lot of work at the beginning? I have partnered a lot of men over my career… you’ve got to know what the other person’s boundaries are and also pick up a few things and go “ah, I can use that”. The fact that Robbie’s wife calls him Traffic Cop Bob was the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in our relationship. But he’s a sweetheart, and funny – a great partner to have found, so unexpectedly. It’s that karma again…