Things are going to get very noisy in Parliament House in the first quarter of next year. And not for the reasons you might expect.
South Australian Senator Penny Wong and her partner Sophie Allouache have announced they are expecting their second child in April next year.
The pair, who have a three-year-old daughter Alexandra, are overjoyed to be able to give her a little brother or sister despite the chaos it may bring.
For this pregnancy, the Senator and Sophie used IVF and the same sperm donor, whose identity remains unknown, to conceive both their children.
Senator Wong also told The Advertiser just how hard it was for the pregnancy to remain a secret once three year-old Alex found out about it.
“Like all families we had to think about whether we tell the toddler because she’s notorious – she doesn’t know what a secret is,” she said. “But we decided to tell her because we thought it was important she knew.”
But an excited Alex has been sharing the news to anyone who will listen. “At the Labor convention she sat reading The Gruffalo to a baby over and over again … I came over and asked how it was going and a friend said ‘it’s all really good but she’s just told everyone Mummy’s got a baby in her tummy’.”
Senator Wong is also conscious of the need to find a new balance once the second baby arrived, with the stressful schedule of parliament and two small children leaving her little down time. She said a supportive partner and two sets of supportive parents are the key to being able to grow her family while working such a busy schedule.
Senator Wong is the third Adelaide politician to announce a new arrival, with MPs Kate Ellis and Amanda Rishworth also due early next year.
Kate, who is married to columnist and radio show host David Penberthy, is due in April while Amanda and her husband Tim Walker are due in March.
All eyes will be on these women as role models for striking a balance as hard-working new mum. The Senator admits it’s very tough work, no matter who you are.
“I think we’ve still got so far to go as a society as to how we balance work and family.”
Top Comments
Penny Wong for PM I say
Congratulations another IVF success , but wait in our ever selfish attitudes have we ever thought that women and men who cannot bear children naturally, or lesbians or two gay men that maybe nature has designed it as such to try and keep the population down. When there are children needing beautiful parents through adoption, We are such a clever race humans just because we can do something doesnt mean we have the right to. Such a selfish race.
Where is this mythical pool of children waiting for adoption, prey tell?
What a selfish comment, to take a joyful occasion and use it as a platform for your own issues. Two children for two parents is not even sufficient to maintain the population at it's current level. You're just using it as a Trojan horse to pick on people you don't like.
Regarding population control, you might not have heard of modern methods of contraception? I heard they're very effective.
Also, you might want to do some research on adoption and child trafficking. I think it's important to be informed if you're suggesting alternatives.