Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni. Photo / Supplied, File
Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni wasn’t trying to avoid National or Question Time in Parliament yesterday.
She’s taken mum time out to nurse her 10-year-old son who broke his leg after jumping off a concrete platform on to a basketball and smashing into a retaining wall.
“On Sunday my 10-year-old had a nasty accident, breaking his leg severely,” Sepuloni posted to Facebook.
“We’ve been in hospital since then. He’s just come out of a 3 hour surgery.”
Sepuloni said she knows being a working mum can be a juggling act but whānau must be priority No 1.
“It’s always a bit of a juggling act being a working parent - especially when kids decide to do things like jump off concrete platforms, onto rolling basketballs and smash into retaining walls,” Sepuloni, who is also the MP for Kelston, said.
“I’m hoping to get back into work asap, but for now, I’m just doing my mum thing.
“Caring for him whilst setting the plan for how we manage the weeks ahead for him in a wheelchair and unable to put any weight on his leg.”
Fellow Labour MP Ingrid Leary wrote on Facebook: “You are living our kaupapa of whānau first … so important that what we do at work reflects our values at home. Hard enough to be a working mother let alone being the Deputy PM. Thank you for role modelling the right calls for all us working women and parents at times like these.”
Armed police stood guard as the patched members were led out in handcuffs.