Tantrums await with bub boom for pollies

THE dummy spits and tantrums are about to increase in Canberra thanks to a parliamentary baby boom hitting Parliament House.

A dozen new political babies will arrive by Christmas, with 11 MPs either expecting new additions or having already welcomed new babies this year.

In November, Labor MP Anika Wells will become the first federal MP to give birth to twins in office.

Wells is planing to bring her twins to Canberra for sitting weeks along with three-yearold daughter Celeste.

“I will just do it, there is no other way around,” Ms Wells said.

The 35-year-old Queenslander said the political baby boom reflected the fact that there were more young people in parliament trying to time pregnancies around election cycles.

Ms Wells is one of six Labor MPs expecting a baby in the coming months.

Canberra MP Alicia Payne is due to give birth to her second child in September and Victorian MP Kate Thwaites is expecting her second baby in December.

The wives of Western Australian MPs Patrick Gorman and Matt Keogh are also pregnant.

Labor senator for South Australia, Marielle Smith, is also expecting a baby girl in early December.

Townsville-based Liberal MP Phil Thompson became a father for the second time in April, while International Development Minister Alex Hawke and wife Amelia recently welcomed their fourth son.

“It’s a wonderful phase of life, we love it — but I think four will be enough,” he said.