Does motherhood give Sonia Kruger an out? On the Agenda today - Women's Agenda

Does motherhood give Sonia Kruger an out? On the Agenda today

In case you missed it, which you probably didn’t, television personality Sonia Kruger called for a ban on Muslim immigration to Australia on Channel Nine’s Today show yesterday.

Kruger, clearly an expert on race relations, said that “for the safety of our citizens here, I think it’s [a Donald Trump style ban on Muslim immigrants] important.”

Kruger added that while she does have a lot of “very good friends who are Muslim” (perhaps not as many today?) there are “fanatics” out there and terrorist attacks are virtually unheard of in Japan due to its low Muslim population.

Those comments made Kruger the subject of a lot of debate yesterday, and it’s continuing this morning.

But it’s Kruger’s “as a mother” justification for such comments that really got social media talking. 

“As a mother, I believe it’s vital in a democratic society to be able to discuss these issue without automatically being labelled racist,” she said in a statement on Twitter following the television appearance. 

So the #AsAMother hashtag has been working the rounds again, one that was first being used following UK politician Andrea Leadsom’s comments that motherhood gave her more of “a real stake” in the future than her then opponent (now PM) Theresa May. 

Meanwhile, Kruger got the thumbs up from Pauline Hanson, who said “Go Sonia!” on Q&A last night. 

 

Does Pauline Hanson need certain segments of the population to have three heads?  

Possibly, just so she can better identify who’s who. 

The Senator-elect’s Q&A appearance last night was as controversial as expected. 

As hundreds of protesters gathered outside the ABC studios, including One Nation supporters, she called Islam a “so-called religion” and claimed Australians are living in fear of terrorism because of Islam. 

Senator Sam Dastyari countered Hanson’s comments saying she’s now just put the Muslim community in her sights after claiming Australia was once being “swamped by Asians”. “It is the politics of picking one section of our community … About simplifying complex problems, and placing the blame on one group at one point in time. It’s the politics of fear and division and, Ms Hanson, you’re incredibly good at it.” 

Meanwhile, Hanson said it was “quite interesting” when Dastyari told her he was a Muslim. “I’m surprised, I did not know that about you,” she responded — despite Dastyari having offered to take her for a Halal meal on election night. 

Hanson didn’t know? As Greens Senator Larissa Waters asked from the panel, Was it because he doesn’t have three heads?  

Does the all-female Ghostbusters matter?

Yes, according to Sheryl Sandberg, and the pictures we’re seeing from the new film’s premier explain why. 

Posting a photo of actress Kristen Wiig on the red carpet shaking hands with a number of young girls dressed as “ghostbusters”, Sandberg said on her Facebook page: “When our films depict strong women in leading roles, we show girls they can become anything they want to be—including a Ghostbuster.”

So how about that marriage equality plebiscite then?  

Looks like we’ve got some waiting to do. 

Asked about the promised vote on marriage equality by Leigh Sales on 7:30 last night, the PM said he’d like to see other legislation passed first. 

“We would like the plebiscite to be held as soon as practicable. But again, that will depend on when the legislation is passed,” he said.

“If it is not held in the latter half of this year, and recognising that parliament will be sitting for the first time on 30 August, then it would be held early next year.”

 

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