She’s already said it’s ‘totally unacceptable’ to ask women in 2017 if they’re planning to have children.
But that didn’t stop New Zealand’s newly elected opposition leader Jacinda Ardern being asked what she was planning to wear before a major debate on Thursday.
Appearing on top-rating radio network Newstalk ZB, ahead of a leaders’ debate with Prime Minister Bill English, Ms Ardern, 37, was quizzed on her outfit by host Mike Hosking.
Newly elected opposition leader Jacinda Ardern was asked what she was planning to wear ahead of a major debate on Thursday
After a question on what the opposition leader had been doing to prepare for the encounter, the presenter asked: ‘What about outfit?’
Ms Ardern started by saying she had been considering what colour to wear, saying she narrowed it down to ‘two options’ and taken in the importance of the backdrop.
She then interrupted the host’s next question to ask, lightheartedly: ‘Are you asking Bill that question too?’
‘I want it framed in exactly the same way,’ she added. ‘What’s your outfit Bill?’
It’s the second time in a month that Ms Ardern – who replaced Andrew Little in a surprise move as head of the Labour party – has faced questions that appear unconnected to her role as leader.
After a question on what the opposition leader had been doing to prepare for the encounter, the presenter asked: ‘What about outfit?’
Earlier this month, the opposition leader said it was ‘totally unacceptable’ to ask women in 2017 if they’re planning to have children
At the beginning of August, TV morning show AM host Mark Richardson asked Ms Ardern about her baby plans.
The sports presenter had suggested that, ‘this is a legitimate question for New Zealand, because she could be the prime minister running this country. She has our best interests at heart, so we need to know these things’.
Ms Ardern, who is dating media personality Clarke Gayford but does not have any children, pointed her finger at Richardson as she flatly rejected his reasoning.
While she said she wasn’t offended because she had talked about the issue in public before, she told the morning show host: ‘For other women, it is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say that women should have to answer that question in the workplace.’
‘It is the woman’s decision about when they choose to have children. It should not predetermine whether or not they get the job,’ she added.
At the time, outraged viewers took to social media to slam Richardson for his comments.
‘It is the woman’s decision about when they choose to have children. It should not predetermine whether or not they get the job,’ the Labour leader said, when asked about baby plans
‘I see Jacinda Ardern has already been asked about babies vs career. Please can every nob who asks that ask the same of Bill English?’ TVNZ presenter Hilary Barry tweeted.
‘Not on board with asking Jacinda Ardern how she would juggle politics/parenting..,’ weather presenter Ingrid Hipkiss added.
‘I didn’t realise Jacinda Ardern was the first person to ever run for Prime Minister who was also able to become a parent,’ added another user.
Ms Ardern is the youngest Labour leader in the party’s history and only the second woman in the position, former prime minister Helen Clark being the other
Earlier this year Ms Ardern told the New Zealand Herald that she wanted to become a mother, which would make being the party’s leader difficult.
‘I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive,’ she said at the time.
‘If we want parliament to reflect New Zealand as a society, then we should be able to accommodate both. But at the same time, it’s always going to be hard, because you’re split-living,’ she added.
Ms Ardern is the youngest Labour leader in the party’s history and only the second woman in the position, former prime minister Helen Clark being the other. She was voted in as leader after Little bowed out due to a series of devastating polls for the party.
Current Prime Minister Bill English has six children.