Over the weekend it was reported that former prime minister Bob Hawke cited her having a three year old child as a reason Tanya Plibersek isn’t being considered a frontrunner for the ALP leadership. No mention was made of the fact that one of the men most likely to succeed Kevin Rudd, Bill Shorten, also has a three year old child.
For a fleeting moment I despaired. How utterly predictable and demoralising, I thought to myself until I stopped and remembered that Bob Hawke is in his 80s. It doesn’t make his view any more palatable but it is not exactly unexpected that a man (or even a woman) of Hawke’s generation would mistakenly believe that having a small child somehow automatically precludes a woman from seeking a particular job.
For one thing, it is quite unlikely that Hawke has ever worked closely with a working mother. It would be far more alarming if Bill Shorten, or someone of his generation, made the remark because he has had the benefit of working with women like Tanya Plibersek and Penny Wong and the former Attorney-General Nicola Roxon, all of whom have children. From that proximity he no doubt knows that, like him, having children doesn’t impact their ability to do their job.
But for anyone like Hawke who hasn’t had the benefit of that experience it’s probably prudent to explain why being a mother shouldn’t preclude Tanya Plibersek from seeking a leadership position.
The salient point is that any individual’s ability to do a job turns on exactly that; their abilities. Having children is no guarantee of professional competence but equally it is no guarantee of incompetence or unsuitability. Tanya Plibersek should not be considered for leadership simply because she’s a mum but equally she shouldn’t be disregarded on those grounds.
A few weeks ago I wrote that describing all working mums as lazy is as unhelpful as saying all mothers are efficient and hard-working. It’s simply not always the case; there is too much grey matter in between. Labelling employees on the basis of their caring responsibilities alone is not always accurate but the founder and managing director of The Heat Group, Gillian Franklin, says in her experience working parents often are highly productive and valuable employees.
“I know from my own experience and from employing other parents that I am a better worker because I am a mother,” Franklin says. “The skills I have to apply in both roles – for example being organised, managing my time and setting priorities are very valuable skills that many parents learn from doing both roles. Business is better off for having those skills.”
On its own the fact Tanya Plibersek has a three year old has no bearing on her leadership potential. But, we also know from her track record in parliament, that Plibersek is a hugely competent politician. There is no doubt that combining any career with a family requires commitment and motivation. The fact Plibersek is able to do both while fulfilling her political ambitions in the manner she has, is indicative that her commitment and motivation are beyond reproach. And to my mind that only bolsters, not weakens, her potential as a leader.
I am confident that if Bob Hawke shadowed her for even a day he would reach that conclusion pretty quickly.