Personally I thank Bob Carr for being childless if he has remained so. One less politician's child can only be good.

Women don't have a choice. They have the babies. Who looks after them is another matter but let's not change science. Just yet.

In response to pdev,
Yes, nannies from places like Indonesia would be great. It would give Aussie kids a terrific chance to learn an Asian language and Asian values in a natural way. Think what a huge advantage that would give those children in their careers. Or we could look at allowing students from overseas to combine studying with child care and housework. In Indonesia churches organise for country kids to stay with church families in the cities and "earn their keep" by doing housework. In return for their housework, their school fees are paid.
And Aussie kids who want to leave school or home early might do better working in a family situation, being fed properly and learning how to cook and run a home rather than being paid the dole to laze about all day drinking, etc. It would also make the relationship between school and future income more obvious to students. At the moment many Aussie children are not motivated to try to learn. Compare this with a Indonesian teenager working as a waiter for $2 a day and eager to practice speaking English, Japanese and Italian.
Rudd is Ok but Julie Gillard and the rest of the Labor gang - no. I didn't like the way Gillard threatened employers. Under the smiley veneer there are some pretty nasty, thuggish people in the Labor Party.

Dealing with the Mob , Mon14May

"Yes, nannies from places like Indonesia would be great. It would give Aussie kids a terrific chance to learn an Asian language and Asian values in a natural way."

Why not go the whole hog delete Nannies and insert Surrogates , class AAA restaurant food is an unsuitable diet for gestating woman especially considering the bile and hatred that accompanies people like Julia who have to force ordinary humble humans to do what they know is good for them .

Don't you think the fact that Heffernan, quite possibly the most intractable politician in the country, has been forced to make an apology, (however equivocal,) is an indication of just how far attitudes in Australia have changed? Heffernan’s comments have done and will do far more damage to himself and the Liberal Party than they will to Gillard or to women in general. The fact that he has been roundly condemned by friend and foe alike shows that such comments or attitudes are completely unacceptable.

Dozer

I don't think that Heffernan's forced apology by friends indicates that those attitudes are unacceptable to them. I suspect it's more a case of Heffernan demonstrating Coalition attitudes towards women (as if we hadn't worked it out already) at a time too close to an election. They just don't want to upset poential voters who find their misogyny unacceptable.

As a mother and grandmother I will never vote for men or women who have not had children regardless of their political persuasion. Mothers in this country need all the help they can get and they are more likely to get it from family politicians if at all.

Professionals cleverer? Not necessesarily. Educated in one specific area maybe.
My daughter duxed grade 10, left school with my permission because I said all you need is drive and persistance to take you to the top. Some people with university degrees just dont have that drive and persistance and some do. My daughter is 30 has four beautiful children earns as much as any GP AND has five rented properties and has a marriage that is working.

She also acknowledges that she couldnt have had four children if she hadnt had Grandma (me) as backup. Those kids have never been in daycare. Between her husband who does have a university degree as a teacher and myself who both worked part time we rostered the kids between us. I understand that some people dont have Grandmas available and so must use daycare. I also understand that some Grandmas refuse to give their children this back up becase they want their freedom which I dont agree with but to each his own choices.

To the people who choose not to have children. I hope you are prepared to go and fight in the army if war breaks out because you dont have any children to fight for you so you should have to go yourself. When you get old and you need some strong fit nurses to look after you if you go into hospital I hope you will be prepared to lie there without being attended to by other peoples children. The only reason you can make the choice to not have children is because other people are having them to provide the community and services that you will need around you to survive in coming years.