Mark Richardson has raised hackles again. This time the outspoken The AM Show presenter has offended viewers by claiming that being a mum is “a fact of life” and “not a job”.
His comments were made on Monday morning’s show after co-hosts Duncan Garner and Amanda Gillies began discussing a US study which had found that the average working mother puts in 98 hours a week when combining paid work and unpaid family duties.
The study was based on 2000 mothers with children aged between five and 12 years old, and found that their average day began at 6:23am and ended at 8:31pm. Sounds about right.
“I was lucky enough to spend time with some kids at the weekend, it’s a lot of fun but it’s full on,” said Amanda Gillies.
Duncan Garner referred to domestic duties as an unpaid job, and it was then that Richardson began airing his views:
“I’ll make a quick point here, don’t crucify me. Frilly undie crowd: put your pad and pens down.
“It is hard work being a mum, but you can’t call it a job, it is a fact of life. We raise children on this planet. Don’t call it a job.”
As his co-hosts looked at him in disbelief he added: “I’m not selling you short here, will you shut up and listen to what I’m saying?
“It is hard work, it’s a necessity of life, but don’t call it a job. It is what we have to do, I respect that it is so goddamn difficult, but I’m sorry I can’t call it a job.”
This is not the first time Richardson has ruffled feathers. In August last year, shortly before Labour leader Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister, he prompted a live-on-air telling-off from Ardern when he claimed that Ardern and women in general should have to declare their baby plans before accepting a job:
“I think 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.”
Ardern shot back at Richardson by saying that in 2017 it was “totally unacceptable” to say a woman should have to answer that question in the workplace.
“It is a woman’s decision about when they choose to have children, it should not predetermine whether or not they are given a job, or have job opportunities.”
