Green’s Genter announces pregnancy
Women’s Minister and Green Party co-leadership candidate Julie Anne Genter has announced she is pregnant.
Genter announced yesterday that she and partner Peter Nunns are expecting a child in August.
The pregnancy did not at all change her intention to stand for co-leader or to carry on as Women’s Minister and associate transport and health minister.
The announcement follows similar news from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier this year.
Genter in fact told Ardern and Green coleader James Shaw about the pregnancy on the same day the Prime Minister announced hers.
‘‘Clearly there’s something in the water at [Parliament restaurant] Bellamy’s,’’ Genter said.
Genter will be 16 weeks pregnant on Monday, having found out in December. This is Genter’s third pregnancy - she lost the first two to miscarriages. ‘‘So this has been a surprise - but really welcome and exciting.’’
She is planning to take around three months off from Parliamen- tary duties but just six weeks off her ministerial role. After that her partner Nunns will take on fulltime caregiving.
She found about the pregnancy when she already had the coleadership in mind. ‘‘I was intending to stand for co-leader before I found out I was pregnant. I did take the summer to reflect on it, and I still think it is important for me to stand. And I do believe that there is no reason a woman can’t be a mother and do that job.’’