Women need to earn the job

WHENEVER I pick up a newspaper or am silly enough to turn on the TV, someone, usually a sheila, is claiming we need more women in this or that job. “Gender equality” is the catchphrase.

I’ll go grandad on yer girls and give you some advice. When I was 21 I drove a cab at night to earn some decent money while doing an apprenticeship. I knew a lady of the night who offered me 10,000 pounds to marry her, ($ 20,000 enough to buy two pretty flash homes back then), because she wanted to legitimise her illegit- imate daughter. I declined. Not long after, my first love’s father sat me down, stuck a scotch in my paw and announced that a 1000 acre Droughtmaster stud in the Gold Coast hinterland was his wedding present when his daughter got married. I never saw her again.

Before I turned 30, I’d brassed my trade, been in and out of a roadhouse at Mount Isa. Made a good earn. Got into real estate, won a couple of salesman of the year titles and rose to land sales manager for Queensland.

Got out of that and made heaps more money in farm machinery. By 40 I was spending the money I’d made breeding and racing horses. Had a great 20 years doing that.

Retired. Hated it. Now I’m caretaker/ manager of a 70,000 acre bullock station. Loving it. Been here 12 years now.

If you get something because you’ve earned it, it’s far sweeter than being handed something you can’t handle.

You’ve only got to look at Labor and Liberal politicians to see the truth in that. FRANK BROWN

Richmond