Kate Ellis is adamant. Her decision to quit politics to spend more time with her son is not about gender.
She says the issues she has grappled with are faced by many men and women who struggle to balance work and family, especially those with young children.
Ms Ellis has announced she will leave federal politics at the next election so she can stay in Adelaide to be with her two-year-old, rather than spending more than 20 weeks a year in Canberra.
"I've spoken to a number of my male colleagues who find it really hard but they've found a way," she said on Thursday.
"I've also spoken to a number of men who have decided not to go into the federal parliament for these reasons.
"It is a consideration, it's what people need to balance.
"But for me, for my family, I just decided I wanted to be where my child is, I wanted to be in the same state.
"I wanted to be able to tuck him in at night, I wanted be there when he was sick, I wanted to be there for his first day at school."
Ms Ellis, who was first elected as the member for Adelaide in 2004, said she also didn't want her decision to discourage other young women, including young mothers, to consider a career in politics.
"I'd hate for my legacy to be sending a message that you can't be a young woman and go into federal parliament," she said, announcing her decision on the day after International Women's Day.
"There are countless examples of dynamic, inspiring, talented women who have made a different choice and who it's working for."
And the Labor frontbencher says she still intends to work and will continue to juggle a job with her family responsibilities, even though she doesn't yet know what a career post politics will look like.
"I just want to have a job where I can spend more time in Adelaide, more time with the people that I love," she said.
"It's an issue for individuals."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he respected the choice Ms Ellis had made and the way she went about it.
He said he hoped the Labor Party in South Australia selected another woman to stand for the seat of Adelaide at the next election.
"I don't think you can replace Kate Ellis. But I do hope the Labor Party in South Australia sends us another talented woman," he said..
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