A career in politics can be brutal for anyone, but how much worse is it for women?
Former state minister Paula Wriedt returned to politics at the local goverment level after a break from public life. (Supplied: Facebook/Kingborough Council)
In short:
Paula Wriedt, who was a member of the Tasmanian parliament from 1996 until 2009, says her experiences differed greatly from those of her male colleagues.
After a break from politics, Cr Wriedt became a mayor in southern Tasmania and says she has surprised herself by how much she is enjoying the return to public life.
What's next?
Former Australian Greens leader Christine Milne says work-life balance and social media are two of the biggest challenges women in politics face.
A career in politics can be brutal and exposing.
That $4.3 million beach house you bought with your partner could be headline news for days.
Or after 20 years in politics, you can swiftly be demoted to the backbench.
Politicians have an important job; they're in charge of taxpayer dollars and need to deliver health, education and housing, so there is no question they need to be held to account.
Paula Wriedt in 2008, when she was a minister in the state Labor government. (file photo: ABC News)
But are the ups and downs of politics, and the personal scrutiny that comes with the job, worth the pay cheque?
And how much worse is it if you are a woman in politics?
Speaking on ABC's TassieCast, Paula Wriedt said she has no doubt her experience as a young woman in Tasmania's parliament from 1996 to 2009 differed greatly from that of her male counterparts.
During her first radio interview after being elected she said she was asked:
"Tell me what brand of toothpaste you use, because you seem to have the Colgate winning smile.
"And then he [the interviewer] went on to ask me whether I had a boyfriend."
Cr Wriedt was speechless.
"I just kept thinking, you know, any minute now, he's going to ask me about my policies."
Cr Wriedt was the first member of parliament to give birth while in office.
She said while most people in the community were supportive, there were exceptions.
"I did receive some pretty awful letters from a few members in the community who told me that I had absolutely no right to have a child and continue to be a member of parliament, because I should be home tending to my baby.
"One person even said … my child would turn out to be an axe murderer if I didn't stay home and look after it."
She said when she was five months pregnant there were calls from the opposition for her to stand down from her ministry and sit on the back bench.
It didn't end there.
AFL identity Sam Newman made a lewd remark about Ms Wriedt after her appearance on Channel Nine 's Footy Show.
Cr Wriedt said it detracted from the attention she was hoping to generate for a Tasmanian AFL team.
Cr Wriedt was pushed out of parliament after a relationship with her driver and a battle with depression.
Paula Wriedt announced her resignation in 2009 at a media conference. (ABC News)
She believes she would not have been treated in the same way if she was a man.
"It saddens me to say that, and I don't say that lightly," she said.
"There seem to have been circumstances that men have found themselves in that were similar to mine, where it's just been, you know, turned a blind eye to."
But Cr Wriedt is hopeful things have changed, especially when it comes to mental health.
"Had I been somebody who was experiencing, say, cancer, or had a broken leg, or some other physical illness where I needed additional time off, I would have no doubt been granted that," she said.
"Since then I've spoken out about the need for people to be able to speak freely about mental health issues and what they go through, so that there isn't a stigma around that and that those who are suffering those problems can be treated more respectfully in the future."
But Cr Wriedt's experience has not put her off politics.
Paula Wriedt says she enjoys being back in public life. (Supplied: Facebook/Cr Paula Wriedt)
After caring for her parents and working for a not-for-profit, Cr Wriedt is now Mayor of the Kingborough Council in southern Tasmania and, to her surprise, she is enjoying being back in public life.
She is wary though of spending too much time on social media.
"The keyboard warriors could be some of the most vitriolic, poisonous people that you will ever meet," she told ABC's TassieCast.
"You know you really need to distance yourself from it, and make your decisions based on the values that you hold."
She is confident things are changing for women in politics.
Tasmania has more female members of state parliament than men — there are 26 women across both chambers, and 24 men.
Across both houses of the Tasmanian parliament, there are more female members than male. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
At a federal level, Bass MP Bridget Archer said there had been moves to accommodate the growing number of women, including a childcare centre in Parliament House.
"I believe [it] replaced what was once a bar," Ms Archer said.
Christine Milne says work-life balance and social media are two of the biggest challenges women in politics — and those considering a political career — face. (ABC News: Owain Stia-James)
Former Australian Greens leader Christine Milne is an adviser on the Pathways to Politics program which is designed to encourage more women to enter politics and address some of the challenges women face.
"I think work-life balance is one of the issues people struggle with.
"The other is social media — how you deal with being a public figure in this age of social media."
Ms Milne is encouraging more women to consider a political career.
"If you have ever thought about stepping up, if you have ever started whingeing about the way the government is behaving and [about] your issues, now is your opportunity."
Listen in to this episode and catch up on the TassieCast podcast here.
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