Political cares: Gendered reporting of work and family issues in relation to Australian politicians

Australian Feminist Studies

Volumn 20, Issue 46, 2005, Pages 77-90

  Muir, Kathie ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 14844325298     PISSN: 08164649     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/0816464042000334555     Document Type: Review

References (74)

1. A version of this paper was delivered at a Gender Roundtable held at the University of Adelaide in April 2004.1 would like to thank those present and the anonymous Australian Feminist Studies reviewers for their constructive comments.
2. Tony Wright, The Boys Will Be Over the Moon', Age, 1 July 1999, p. 8.
3. Fischer actually said: 'I've already changed seven nappies. The people at the hospital believe it's important for bonding to take place between the father and baby. I've got it down to two minutes a nappy', Sunday Age, 21 November 1993, cited in Anthony McMahon, Taking Care of Men: Sexual Politics in the Public Mind (Cambridge University Press) Cambridge, 1999, p. 117.
4. Fischer actually said: 'I've already changed seven nappies. The people at the hospital believe it's important for bonding to take place between the father and baby. I've got it down to two minutes a nappy', Sunday Age, 21 November 1993, cited in Anthony McMahon, Taking Care of Men: Sexual Politics in the Public Mind (Cambridge University Press) Cambridge, 1999, p. 117.
5. John Warhurst, 'Family and Politics Don't Mix', Canberra Times, 9 July 1999, p. 9.
6. Malcolm Fair, 'Family Comes First', Daily Telegraph, 1 July 1999, p. 1.
7. Dennis Shanahan, 'For the Sake of His Son', Australian, 1 July 1999, p. 1.
8. Michael Harvey, 'For My Boy', Herald Sun, 1 July 1999, p. 1.
9. Wendy Tuohy, 'Hero Fathers: How Do They Combine Career and the Call of "Hey Dad"?' Sunday Age, 4 July 1999, p. 1.
10. Warhurst, 'Family and Politics'.
11. Warhurst, 'Family and Politics'.
12. Phillip Coorey, 'Family First for Tearful Fischer', Mercury, 1 July 1999, p. 1.
13. McMahon, Taking Care of Men, p. 105.
14. Deborah Lupton and Lesley Barclay, Constructing Fatherhood: Discourses and Experiences (Sage) London, 1997, p. 6.
15. P. Hondagneu-Sotelo and M. Messner, 'Gender Displays and Men's Power', cited in Harry Brod and Michael Kaufman (eds), Theorizing Masculinities (Sage) London, 1994, p. 208.
16. Annabelle Sreberny and Liesbet van Zoonen, 'Gender, Politics and Communication: an Introduction' in Annabelle Sreberny and Liesbet van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication (Hampton Press) Cresskill, 2000, p. 13.
17. Liesbet van Zoonen, '"Finally I Have My Mother Back": Politicians and Their Families in Popular Culture', Press/Politics, vol. 3, no. 1, 1998, pp. 48-64; and van Zoonen '"Broken Hearts, Broken Dreams?" Politicians and Their Families in Popular Culture' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 101-19.
18. Liesbet van Zoonen, '"Finally I Have My Mother Back": Politicians and Their Families in Popular Culture', Press/Politics, vol. 3, no. 1, 1998, pp. 48-64; and van Zoonen '"Broken Hearts, Broken Dreams?" Politicians and Their Families in Popular Culture' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 101-19.
19. van Zoonen, 'Finally', p. 50.
20. Significantly, male politicians' publicly expressed concern is that their children are missing out on the presence and support of a father rather than that their spouses are missing a caring husband and active domestic partner. These male politicians do not express anxiety as to their performance as a good husband. Clearly women are still expected to sacrifice, although children are now seen to need a father's presence and influence.
21. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
22. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
23. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
24. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
25. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
26. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
27. See, for example, Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Women MPs on Life, Power and Politics (HarperCollins) Sydney, 1999; Kathie Muir, 'Tough Choices: Mass Media Accounts of Women Union Leaders', Hecate, vol. 26, no. 2, 2000, pp. 10-30; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny, 'Women in the House: Media Representations of British Politicians' in Sreberny and van Zoonen (eds), Gender, Politics and Communication, pp. 79-100; Karen Ross and Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House - Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9; van Zoonen, 'Finally'; van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts'; Mary Vavrus, Postfeminist News: Political Women in Media Culture (State University of New York) Albany, 2002.
28. Lupton and Barclay, Constructing Fatherhood, p. 73.
29. van Zoonen, 'Finally', p. 61; 'Broken Hearts', p. 117.
30. van Zoonen, 'Finally', p. 61; 'Broken Hearts', p. 117.
31. van Zoonen, 'Broken Hearts', p. 115.
32. For example, Steve Lewis, 'Labor's Biggest Gamble', Australian, 3 December 2003, p. 1.
33. The term 'new father' is taken from McMahon, Taking Care of Men.
34. Female readers are keenly sought after by news producers as they are traditionally less interested in traditional news reporting. The increasing trend towards the adoption of tabloid journalistic styles is, in part, evidence of this attempt to woo female audiences, as is the focus on stories about public figures' private lives. See, for example, Kay Schaffer, 'Scare Words: "feminism", Postmodern Consumer Culture and the Media", Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, 1998, pp. 321-34.
35. These themes are central in several key speeches that Latham has given since becoming Australian Labor Party leader. These include the speech he gave on assuming the Labor Party Leadership on 2 December 2003; his speech to the National Press Club on 18 February 2004; and 'Opportunity for All', his speech to the ALP National Conference on 29 January 2004, available at 〈http://www.alp.org.au/print.html?links = /media/0104/20006772.html〉.
36. Mark Latham, 2003, 'Labor Party Leadership', 2 December 2003, available at 〈http://www.alp.org.au/print.htmlPlink = /media/1203/20006524. html〉. Also quoted in Mischa Schubert and John Stapleton, 'Family Man the Latest Hat on ALP's Anointed Head', Australian, 3 December 2003, p. 1.
37. Mark Latham, 2003, 'Labor Party Leadership', 2 December 2003, available at 〈http://www.alp.org.au/print.htmlPlink = /media/1203/20006524. html〉. Also quoted in Mischa Schubert and John Stapleton, 'Family Man the Latest Hat on ALP's Anointed Head', Australian, 3 December 2003, p. 1.
38. Carol Johnson, 'From the Suburbs: Mark Latham and the Ideology of the ALP', paper presented to Australian Political Studies Association conference, Hobart, 2003.
39. For an account of the 'damage' that 'special interest' groups (especially feminists) have caused to the ALP and an appeal for the party to return to its roots, see Michael Thompson, Labor without Class: the Gentrification of the ALP (Pluto Press) Annandalc, 1999.
40. Mark Latham, 'Work, Family and Community: a Modern Australian Agenda', speech to the National Press Club, Canberra, 18 February 2004, available at 〈http://www.alp.org.au/print.htmlPlinks =/media/0204/20006891.html〉.
41. McMahon, Taking Care of Men.
42. McMahon, Taking Care of Men, p. 133.
43. See, for example, Matt Price, Tears Over Slurs and Taunts at Children", Australian, 5 December 2003, p. 5; Sally Morrell, 'Ex's Outburst Won't Stop Latham', Herald Sun, 8 December 2003, p. 18.
44. See, for example, Matt Price, Tears Over Slurs and Taunts at Children", Australian, 5 December 2003, p. 5; Sally Morrell, 'Ex's Outburst Won't Stop Latham', Herald Sun, 8 December 2003, p. 18.
45. Schubert and Stapleton, 'Family Man', p. 1.
46. Cathy Greenfield and Peter Williams, '"Howardism" and the Media Rhetoric of "Battlers" vs "Elites'", Southern Review, vol. 34, no. 1, 2001, pp. 32-44.
47. Latham in the 'Work, Family' speech says 'Our boys are suffering from a crisis of masculinity. As blue-collar muscle jobs have declined, their identity and relationships have become blurred and confused. We need to give our boys a new centre to their lives - one grounded in community support and mentoring.' He goes on to acknowledge that 'Girls need our help too' but focuses on the trouble with boys because it is more visible and because 'very often the victims are female'.
48. In the past Latham has been very critical of 'single-issue activists', such as feminists whom he said 'identify solely with affirmative action', as being too fanatical and one-dimensional. He has viewed their efforts as working against equal opportunity and recognition of merit; see, for example, Mark Latham, 'Labor Needs Policies in Which All Have a Stake', Daily Telegraph, 18 June 1999, p. 11. Also Mark Latham, From the Suburbs: Building a Nation from Our Neighbourhoods (Pluto Press) Annandale, 2003. For a critique of Latham's policies and their impact on gender equality, see Johnson, 'From the Suburbs'. Given this history, Latham's performance at the July 2004 launch of the Australian Labor Party Women's Policy was viewed with relief by those concerned with his history of opposition to feminist issues. He even reportedly wore an Emily's List badge despite his previous opposition to the group. Anne Summers commented 'He's had a long way to come ... He's always been very uncomfortable around women's issues. But the fact that he's been clearly listening to women in the party and in the community is fantastic', quoted in Emma-Kate Symons, 'No F-word, but Women Happy', Australian, 20 July 2004, p. 1.
49. In the past Latham has been very critical of 'single-issue activists', such as feminists whom he said 'identify solely with affirmative action', as being too fanatical and one-dimensional. He has viewed their efforts as working against equal opportunity and recognition of merit; see, for example, Mark Latham, 'Labor Needs Policies in Which All Have a Stake', Daily Telegraph, 18 June 1999, p. 11. Also Mark Latham, From the Suburbs: Building a Nation from Our Neighbourhoods (Pluto Press) Annandale, 2003. For a critique of Latham's policies and their impact on gender equality, see Johnson, 'From the Suburbs'. Given this history, Latham's performance at the July 2004 launch of the Australian Labor Party Women's Policy was viewed with relief by those concerned with his history of opposition to feminist issues. He even reportedly wore an Emily's List badge despite his previous opposition to the group. Anne Summers commented 'He's had a long way to come ... He's always been very uncomfortable around women's issues. But the fact that he's been clearly listening to women in the party and in the community is fantastic', quoted in Emma-Kate Symons, 'No F-word, but Women Happy', Australian, 20 July 2004, p. 1.
50. In the past Latham has been very critical of 'single-issue activists', such as feminists whom he said 'identify solely with affirmative action', as being too fanatical and one-dimensional. He has viewed their efforts as working against equal opportunity and recognition of merit; see, for example, Mark Latham, 'Labor Needs Policies in Which All Have a Stake', Daily Telegraph, 18 June 1999, p. 11. Also Mark Latham, From the Suburbs: Building a Nation from Our Neighbourhoods (Pluto Press) Annandale, 2003. For a critique of Latham's policies and their impact on gender equality, see Johnson, 'From the Suburbs'. Given this history, Latham's performance at the July 2004 launch of the Australian Labor Party Women's Policy was viewed with relief by those concerned with his history of opposition to feminist issues. He even reportedly wore an Emily's List badge despite his previous opposition to the group. Anne Summers commented 'He's had a long way to come ... He's always been very uncomfortable around women's issues. But the fact that he's been clearly listening to women in the party and in the community is fantastic', quoted in Emma-Kate Symons, 'No F-word, but Women Happy', Australian, 20 July 2004, p. 1.
51. In the past Latham has been very critical of 'single-issue activists', such as feminists whom he said 'identify solely with affirmative action', as being too fanatical and one-dimensional. He has viewed their efforts as working against equal opportunity and recognition of merit; see, for example, Mark Latham, 'Labor Needs Policies in Which All Have a Stake', Daily Telegraph, 18 June 1999, p. 11. Also Mark Latham, From the Suburbs: Building a Nation from Our Neighbourhoods (Pluto Press) Annandale, 2003. For a critique of Latham's policies and their impact on gender equality, see Johnson, 'From the Suburbs'. Given this history, Latham's performance at the July 2004 launch of the Australian Labor Party Women's Policy was viewed with relief by those concerned with his history of opposition to feminist issues. He even reportedly wore an Emily's List badge despite his previous opposition to the group. Anne Summers commented 'He's had a long way to come ... He's always been very uncomfortable around women's issues. But the fact that he's been clearly listening to women in the party and in the community is fantastic', quoted in Emma-Kate Symons, 'No F-word, but Women Happy', Australian, 20 July 2004, p. 1.
52. van Zoonen 'Finally' and 'Broken Hearts'.
53. van Zoonen 'Finally' and 'Broken Hearts'.
54. McMahon, Taking Care of Men, p. 148.
55. For example, Emma-Kate Symons, 'Playground Polities', Australian, 8 April 2004, p. 16.
56. The view that working mothers are to blame for family breakdown and other social problems is circulating inside sections of the Australian Labor Party, as elsewhere. Michael Thompson quotes a study saying 'that at least four out of every ten Australian parents believe working mothers with children are "the cause of many problems" in society'. He goes on to argue that this view 'is consistent with a statistical correlation between female employment and serious crime rates'. Thompson, Labor without Class, p. 60.
57. See, for example, Terry Brown, 'Baby What a Contest', Herald Sun, 10 November 2001, p. 27; Michelle Cazzulino, 'Who Loves Ya Baby', Daily Telegraph, 26 October 2001, p. 27.
58. See, for example, Terry Brown, 'Baby What a Contest', Herald Sun, 10 November 2001, p. 27; Michelle Cazzulino, 'Who Loves Ya Baby', Daily Telegraph, 26 October 2001, p. 27.
59. Deborah Chambers, 'Representations of Familialism in the British Popular Media', European Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 3, no. 3, 2000, pp. 195-214.
60. Sunday Mail 'Natasha: I Want a Baby', 9 September 2001, p. 11.
61. See, for example, Ross and Sreberny 'Women in the House'; van Zoonen 'Finally' and 'Broken Hearts'; and Clare Walsh, 'Gender and Mediatized Political Discourse: A Case Study of Press Coverage of Margaret Beckett's Campaign for the Labour Leadership in 1994', Language and Literature, vol. 7, no. 3, 1998, pp. 199-214.
62. See, for example, Ross and Sreberny 'Women in the House'; van Zoonen 'Finally' and 'Broken Hearts'; and Clare Walsh, 'Gender and Mediatized Political Discourse: A Case Study of Press Coverage of Margaret Beckett's Campaign for the Labour Leadership in 1994', Language and Literature, vol. 7, no. 3, 1998, pp. 199-214.
63. See, for example, Ross and Sreberny 'Women in the House'; van Zoonen 'Finally' and 'Broken Hearts'; and Clare Walsh, 'Gender and Mediatized Political Discourse: A Case Study of Press Coverage of Margaret Beckett's Campaign for the Labour Leadership in 1994', Language and Literature, vol. 7, no. 3, 1998, pp. 199-214.
64. See, for example, Ross and Sreberny 'Women in the House'; van Zoonen 'Finally' and 'Broken Hearts'; and Clare Walsh, 'Gender and Mediatized Political Discourse: A Case Study of Press Coverage of Margaret Beckett's Campaign for the Labour Leadership in 1994', Language and Literature, vol. 7, no. 3, 1998, pp. 199-214.
65. Kathie Muir, "Tough Enough?": Constructions of Femininity in News Reporting of Jennie George, ACTU President 1995-2000', PhD thesis, University of Adelaide, 2004.
66. Brad Norington's change of attitude to Jennie George dates from April 1999 when he published two articles 'exposing' the fact that George had been a member of the Communist Party of Australia. Brad Norington, 'Comrade George: a Matter of Record', Sydney Morning Herald, 1 April 1999, p. 3; and Brad Norington, 'Woman in Red', Sydney Morning Herald, 1 April 1999, p. 14. Norington claims that George had denied ever having been a member of the party during interviews for his biography of her, claiming instead that she was merely a 'fellow-traveller'.
67. Brad Norington's change of attitude to Jennie George dates from April 1999 when he published two articles 'exposing' the fact that George had been a member of the Communist Party of Australia. Brad Norington, 'Comrade George: a Matter of Record', Sydney Morning Herald, 1 April 1999, p. 3; and Brad Norington, 'Woman in Red', Sydney Morning Herald, 1 April 1999, p. 14. Norington claims that George had denied ever having been a member of the party during interviews for his biography of her, claiming instead that she was merely a 'fellow-traveller'.
68. Brad Norington, 'Closed Shop', Sydney Morning Herald, 28 August 1999, p. 42.
69. Norington, 'Closed Shop'.
70. See, for example: Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Cheryl Kernot, Speaking for Myself Again (HarperCollins) Pymble, 2002; Ross and Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House-Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9.
71. See, for example: Anne Henderson, Getting Even; Cheryl Kernot, Speaking for Myself Again (HarperCollins) Pymble, 2002; Ross and Sreberny-Mohammadi, 'Playing House-Gender, Politics and News Media in Britain', Media, Culture and Society, vol. 19, no. 1, 1997, pp. 101-9.
72. Michael Bachelard, Chalk and Cheese: Another Ex-teacher but New Page for ACTU', Australian, 11 December 1999, p. 4.
73. Kernot, Speaking, p. 230.
74. Peter Nicholson, cartoon, Australian, 22 January 1998, p. 10.