Thankfully, images of new motherhood in parliament are no longer as foreign as they once were. We’ve seen Australian Senator Larissa Waters breastfeed while addressing Parliament and Jacinda Ardern cradle her newborn while making her UN debut. But this week an image of New Zealand speaker Trevor Mallard is going viral for all the right reasons.
Labour MP Tāmati Coffey attended parliament for the first time since his paternity leave with baby Tūtānekai Smith-Coffey, in tow. The speaker of New Zealand’s parliament took over babysitting duties while presiding over a political debate. From there, Mallard proceeded to bottlefeed Tūtānekai – an image which has resonated worldwide.
Mr Mallard tweeted pictures of himself nursing the infant as he presided over the debate. “Normally the Speaker’s chair is only used by Presiding Officers but today a VIP took the chair with me,” he wrote. He also congratulated Mr Coffey and his husband on the newest member of their family.
Tūtānekai was born via surrogate but is Coffey’s biological son whom he shares with partner Tim Smith.
Golriz Ghahraman, a member of the New Zealand Parliament, also Tweeted: “Who needs to see this today? Every single last one of us, that’s who. Here’s a brand new papa holding his newborn in our House of Representatives right now.”
