It seems Aussie men didn't get the memo that Australian women can have careers too

This is one blog I will start by mentioning that by birth I am a New Zealand citizen.  I was raised in a country where women didn't just change nappies or stay at home while the men earned the big bucks.  When I was growing up we had the likes of Helen Clark, New Zealand's first ever elected female Prime Minister to look up to.  Regardless of whether or not you liked her policies (and I'm a right winger - she was Labour) you have to give her credit for showing that women can do anything.

Then there is reality TV executive, Julie Christie who started Touchdown Productions after a career in journalism.  She later sold it to Eyeworks and now works for Mediaworks as a consultant and strategist on reality television.

New Zealand has the likes of Susan Wood, Rachel Smalley, Hilary Barry, Heather Du Plessis Allen and Samantha Hayes as political journalists (okay the latter isn't strictly a political journalist, but she, along with David Farrier will be hosting a new evening show to replace the Paul Henry Show when that moves to the mornings),

Yes, Australia does have some prominent females - Mia Freedman who founded MamaMia, Leigh Sales, Lisa Wilkinson and a few others, however, when you look at the truly successful broadcasters they are primarily men.

Let's take a look at some of the radio stations.  If we look at 2GB, all the hosts are men aged over 50 with only one or two females, and the females are typically relegated to newsreading rather than speaking their opinions.  Or if they do speak their opinions it's on minor issues.  Take a look at Sky.  When we see Agenda who typically heads up discussions?  That's right folks, it's men, with the exception of Kristina Keneally, but she is left wing (former NSW Labor Premier).  Where are the right wing women?

Well my readers, today the co host of Channel Nine's Today, Karl Stefanovic featured in Sunday Style, and my friends, he came across as a total misogynist.  I have no issue with him saying men should be men.  That's fine.  And I have no issue with him wanting a successful career, which he does.  I do however have an issue with what he said next on News.com.au.

In discussing his wife, Cassandra, Stefanovic’s love becomes obvious, his eyes crinkling at the contentment they share. They met in Queensland – she too a journo destined for a high-profile career, arguably one that would have eclipsed his. But kids intervened: Jackson, 15, Ava, nine, and River, seven. She swapped out reporting duties for nappies, school runs and to support Stefanovic’s rise up the ranks.

“She gave up a promising career at the ABC and I’m forever thankful and tremendously appreciative of that. Cass wanted to be at home, and wants to be there now, and we’re very lucky to be in a financial position where we can do that. But should she ever want to go back to work, then of course she can,” enthuses Stefanovic.


Women shouldn't have to give up careers to support husbands and men shouldn't shirk their parenting responsibilities.  Both men and women can do both with flexible working conditions and a change in attitudes. 

The later quote "should she ever want to go back to work, then of course she can" is so offensive.  I didn't realise that women needed to seek permission from their husbands to do something.  I didn't realise that women couldn't make up our own mind about things.

The disturbing thing is that women are expected to sacrifice everything but where were Karl's sacrifices?  In fact, in general where are men's sacrifices?  It takes two to have a family and two to pay the bills, not just the women and Australian men obviously didn't receive the memo that is 2015, not 1940.


To go back a few years to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard's tenure, she was heavily lambasted by the Australian media and while some of it was on the basis of the party's poor policy, a great deal of it was because she was a woman.  The same can be applied to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop being asked if she would bear her breasts.  A man would NEVER EVER be asked the same thing.

So Australian men, it's time to realise that you can still be a man while raising a family and not expecting your wife to stay at home so you can have a career while she sacrifices her financial stability should you ever divorce.

Australia, you're a great country and I love you but seriously, you need to get out of 1940 and realise it's 2015 and women can have careers too.  I won't go into the biology of reproduction but it is not just about the woman, the man is involved too, so how about taking responsiblity and not expecting your wives to give up their careers.