LABOR LEADER EXPANDS FAMILY PORTFOLIO

Labor leader defends role as second child due in June

TASMANIAN Opposition Leader Rebecca White has announced she is expecting her second child, due in June.

Ms White (left), and husband Rodney Dann have a daughter Mia, aged 4.

The 38-year-old Labor leader took to social media on Monday afternoon to announce her baby news.

“Rod and I are excited to announce that our family is growing. Mia will become a big sister in June 2021,” she said.

Regarding Labor’s leadership arrangements and how long Ms White would spend away from her role, a spokesman for Labor said neither Ms White nor the party would be making any further comment for the time being. Ms White’s first child Mia was born shortly before Ms White took over the Labor leadership from Bryan Green.

When she announced her first pregnancy, Ms White, of Orielton, was keen to head off any assumptions about her future in politics.

“I think it’s important because of the role I have to demonstrate that as a woman you can continue to have ambitions for yourself as well as for your family,” she told the Mercury at the time.

Recently Ms White has been forced to defend her status as Labor leader after suffering a pandemic-era slump in the polls.

Premier Peter Gutwein’s status as preferred premier surged to 70 per cent amid the coronavirus crisis, while Ms White’s rating fell to 23 per cent.

The most recent EMRS state voting intentions poll in December put Mr Gutwein’s rating at 61 per cent and Ms White’s at 26 per cent.

Labor had the support of 25 per cent of voters while the Liberals were on 52 per cent.

Ms White will be due to have her baby shortly before state parliament enters a seven-week winter recess through July and August.

The state budget is scheduled for late August and a state election is due by March 2022.