Australia was introduced to Anna Robards (née Heinrich) during the first season of The Bachelor Australia in 2013, but there is much more to say and to know about the 36-year-old and what she has achieved in the past ten years.
We can start with Anna building up a profile as one of Australia’s most beloved media personalities – from appearances on TV shows including SAS Australia and Trial By Kyle, to working with some of the nations biggest beauty and fashion brands, Anna’s became a trusted name and face.
But while her media commitments keep her beyond busy, Anna’s also added business owner as another string to her bow, when almost three years ago INTU WELLNESS, a health and beauty supplements brand, was founded alongside friend and entrepreneur Christie Whitehill.
But her biggest and proudest achievement came November 2020, when she gave birth to daughter Elle, the first child for her and husband Tim.
And with that comes challenges, doubts, changes and more – all factors Anna takes in stride.
Anna’s pride and joy is Elle.
(Image: Nature One Dairy/Monika Berry)Speaking to The Australian Women’s Weekly exclusively, Anna detailed they ways the health-and-fitness-minded parents are passing down the good habits to their two-and-a-half-year-old.
“I think that it’s setting by example. So we’re eating good food, we’re getting out there, we’re getting active, we’re taking her for walks and enjoying it as a family, doing all this on a daily basis as part of a healthy lifestyle,” she explained.
This mindset makes sense as to why the health-conscious parents have partnered up with Nature One Dairy Australia, as Anna has found it to be “the best quality and value we’ve found for organic toddler formula.”
As Anna is a public figure, with that comes more scrutiny and more judgement. When asked how she deals with unsolicited parenting advice, Anna laughs, saying, “It’s funny because this question reminds me of Tim, he always likes to give me lots of advice. Whether it’s parenting advice, whatever it is.
“I normally make out that I’m not listening, or I don’t care what he has to say, or it’s like irrelevant but I actually take it on quite a lot. I don’t want to tell him that but it’s good that way to approach it.
“I think that even with unsolicited parenting advice sometimes like I don’t want to hear it, but then I actually in turn take it on because it might work for for my environment or for our family.”
Anna’s willing to hear others out when it comes to parenting advice.
(Image: Nature One Dairy/Monika Berry)As fans of The Bachelor will remember, Anna went into the show with a career as a lawyer, but what will be news to many is that her law degree isn’t her only qualification, as she also graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Anthropology and Gender studies.
This is probably why she is so well-versed in the challenges women have faced in the pass, and what we will continue to face well into the future.
Having a daughter has only motivated Anna further to push for change when it comes to women’s rights, “it’s got to change, it’s got to progress in order to help Elle or whoever that may be, not going through what we’re going through. And hopefully then it will be like in the history books and not a current issue.”
Anna is looking towards what kind of future world she wants Elle to live in.
(Image: Nature One Dairy/Monika Berry)As Anna speaks with The Weekly just before International Women’s Day, she brings up the current pay parity that females face, and the lawyer in Anna comes out as she’s clearly done her research on the topic.
“I read in the World Economic Forum that it’s been over 100 years since I think pay and voting rights for women started, and they actually say in this forum that it could actually be another 100 years for it to disappear entirely. So it’s just crazy to think how far we’ve come yet, how far we haven’t come, and how far we’ve actually got go.
“And so if that is correct and we won’t see something like pay parity for another 100 years, our children will still have to go through that.”
One of those children being Elle, who Anna wants to empower, “for me, I actually really want Elle to grow up in an environment where I guess she can feel empowered to follow any goals she wants, any passions.”
Well looking at all that Anna has accomplished, it’s clear she’s leading by example on that front!
