Michael Hosking: 'When do we stop celebrating women's achievements?'[what's your comment on this?]

Mike Hosking wants to know when we'll stop celebrating women's achievements.

He just can't help himself.

Lobby organisation Federated Farmers recently elected the first female president in its 118-year history.

It was a story worthy of national attention on Seven Sharp last night, but presenter Mike Hosking wasn't so sure.

Toni Street told him "when there's the representation that marries it up", but Hosking seemed unconvinced.

After an item from reporter Michael Holland on new Federated Farmers president Katie Milne, Hosking wondered aloud: "When do we stop celebrating women's achievements?"

He knew it was a controversial remark - said so himself in fact - but the 52-year-old broadcaster obviously felt it was a question that had to be asked. Toni Street was on hand to set him straight however.

Mike Hosking and Toni Street on Seven Sharp.

"Let me be slightly controversial here," said Hosking. "We celebrate her [Milne] because she's a first - so the first time Fed Farmers, congratulations to her. When do we stop celebrating women's achievements, because there are so many of them that we've actually - you know?"

"I guess when there's the representation that marries it up," his co-host replied.

"I guess so," a seemingly unconvinced Hosking conceded - but the look on his face said it all.

Street wasn't done yet though. "The thing is with farming," she continued, "so often the women aren't celebrated but they do just as much. The people in the district that I grew up in were all out milking and raising the children. It's a big job."

This isn't the first time Hosking has skirted a fine line between being provocative and outright sexism.

Last September his Newstalk ZB colleague Bernadine Oliver-Kerby briefly walked out of the Mike Hosking Breakfast broadcast after Hosking declared it was "man's time" as he introduced a Warriors rugby league debate.

"We don't need a woman, this is man's time. That's what we said - man's time! We're going to talk about the league," he said.

An approach has been made to TVNZ for comment from Hosking.