fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 14 August 2024 09:25

The cradle and the corridor

Written by  Peter Burke
Horticulture Minister Nicola Grigg. Horticulture Minister Nicola Grigg.

"I've still got my trainer wheels on".

That's how Nicola Grigg is describing her first weeks back in Parliament after six months maternity leave and now looking after her new baby in the precincts of Parliament.

She says it's funny being both a new mum and a new minister at the same time, but says she's very lucky having a great support team around her which helps her cope.

"I've got my baby up here and my office looks like a crèche. I have a really good nanny and his dad comes up sometimes as well, so this is the new norm for me," she says.

In many ways Grigg is making history. It's 40 years since a National MP has had a baby while in government and that was Ruth Richardson back in 1983.

"You have to make things work, because we want female representation in Parliament and so in some ways I am something of a crash test dummy.

"If I can succeed in being a good mum, minister and local MP, that should motivate other women to do the same," she says.

More like this

Editorial: The Price of Progress

OPINION: Alistair Carmichael raises some interesting questions about striking a balance between profitability in farming and preserving the character of rural communities.

NZ Farm Accident Claims Drop Nearly 35% Since 2020

A huge reduction in ACC claims from on-farm accidents over the last five years is due to thousands of small, practical decisions being made in sheds, yards, paddocks and around kitchen tables across the country, says Safer Farms ambassador Lindy Nelson.

Featured

Editorial: The Price of Progress

OPINION: Alistair Carmichael raises some interesting questions about striking a balance between profitability in farming and preserving the character of rural communities.

NZ Ploughing Champions' Gear Stuck at Sea Before Worlds

Ploughing champions Mark Dillon and Malcolm Taylor earned the right to represent the country at the World Ploughing Championships in Osijek, Croatia, on 5 and 6 September, after winning their titles at the New Zealand Ploughing Championships in Middlemarch in 2025.

National

Machinery & Products