Mums in politics making it work

Being a busy mum is not always compatible with politics, but women like Nicola Willis are making it work.

The deputy leader of the National Party was in Kaiapoi last week for an ‘‘inspiring women’’ event to share some insights on being a woman in politics.

Former Waimakariri District councillor Kirstyn Barnett knows what it is like to be a young mum in politics.

She had two daughters, aged 6 and 3, when she was first elected to the council in 2010.

At the time she was the only woman sitting around the council.

‘‘I was on the Woodend advisory board in 2008 and the following year I had people approach me and ask if I would stand for council.

‘‘I said I’ve got two young children, so is it really a good idea?’’

Ms Willis said women tend to be very supportive of each other and it went ‘‘beyond political stripes’’.

Today there is a ‘‘much better gender split’’ in Parliament, she said.

‘‘I feel enormous gratitude to the women who have come before me, who I think had a much tougher road to walk.’’

Attitudes had changed, with young mums and dads in politics all juggling family life and work.

‘‘These days men are just as focused at being good parents as women are,’’ Ms Willis said.

But the realities of social media were there.

Ms Willis has set up a ‘‘BFF’’ group on Facebook where she shares some of the nastier posts.

As a mum of four young children aged between 13 and 7, she said her political career would not be possible without a supportive husband, family and friends.

‘‘It keeps it very real because when I come home, instead of talking about resource management legislation, I’m tidying up Lego.’’

Ms Willis said women like former deputy prime minister Paula Bennett and businesswoman Maury Leyland had encouraged her to ‘‘be more ambitious’’.

Over the years New Zealand has had three woman prime ministers, but just one woman has been finance minister.

‘‘People say ‘she’s just like Ruth Richardson, but with longer hair’. But if Ruth Richardson was a man, you probably wouldn’t say that,’’ Ms Willis said.

Mrs Barnett said her experience in local politics had rubbed off on her children, with her eldest daughter Becca taking an interest in local issues.

‘‘She certainly likes to lead from the front and I think it is something she learned from me.

‘‘I just tried to show my girls, if you want to get something changed, you need to go through the right channels.

‘‘It takes time, but you need to take people with you.’’

- By David Hill
Local Democracy Reporter

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