Politician is so over people asking women about baby vs. career plans

2025-04-27 16:33:35admin

It's only been one day since New Zealand's opposition leader, Jacinda Ardern, has been in the top job.

Since then, the 37-year-old politician -- who could be New Zealand's next prime minister when the country hits the polls in September -- has fielded questions about her motherhood plans twice.

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Only seven hours into her stint as the head of New Zealand's Labour Party on Tuesday, Ardern explained on the TV show The Projectthat she had "no problem" with answering the question.

Although some viewers took exception to it:

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But she didn't appreciate it when probed by AM Showpanellist Mark Richardson on Wednesday, who asked if it is "OK for a [prime minister] to take maternity leave while in office."

"If you're an employer of a company, you need to know that type of thing from the women that you're employing. Because legally, you have to give them maternity leave," Richardson said.

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Again, Ardern doesn't find questions about her baby plans inappropriate. But she is angry at suggestions that employers have the right to know about whether employees are planning to have children.

"For other women, it is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say women should have to answer that question in the workplace," Ardern said, pointing at Richardson.

"It is a woman's decision about when they choose to have children. It should not predetermine when they are given a job or are given opportunities."

Facing repeated questions from Richardson on why employers don't have the right to quiz female employees about baby plans -- even if they won't be prejudiced by the answer -- Ardern replied: "Then why ask?"

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For those still wondering about Ardern's baby plans, she has reiterated it is still a dilemma for her, "no different" to other women who face the same issue.

"You've just got to take every day as it comes, and try and see if you make the best of the lot you've been given," she explained on The Project.

And just so you know, this is where New Zealand's Human Rights Commission stands on bosses asking employees on if they're planning to get pregnant. That is, they shouldn't.