Australian Government allows female lawmakers to breasfeed inside the House of Representatives

The Australian Government has just made its rules family-friendly. It recently announced that female lawmakers are now allowed to breastfeed in the Australian Parliament.

Before the rules were changed infants were only allowed in public galleries or offices of the parliament building, a report by Fox News said.  But with the new rule, lawmakers are now allowed to bring their babies into the chamber "to breastfeed, bottle feed and at other times when needed."

As interviewed by the BBC, House Leader Christopher Pyne welcomed the changes to "antiquated" practices and was quoted as saying: "No member male or female will ever be prevented from participating fully in the operation of the parliament by reason of having the care of a baby".

The changes were approved after a recommendation from a parliamentary committee.  

Out of the 150 members of Australia's House of Representatives, 40 are women, three had babies since March, and four are due to become fathers.

ABC News reports that before the rule, nursing mothers were allowed to vote by proxy since 2008.  Their votes were valid even without their presence in the chamber.

However, this new rule was hailed by Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young as a way to encourage women to venture into politics.  

Senator Young sparked a furor last 2009 when she brought her daughter to the chamber while casting a vote.  As of the present, this new rule does not extend to the Senate.

Opposition lawmaker Kate Ellis, whose son's birthday is coming up, also welcomed the change.

"While I support maximum flexibility for parents in the workplace, I have absolutely no plans to take my child into the chamber if I can avoid it," Ellis said in a statement.

Breastfeeding in the chambers is a sensitive issue in many parliaments around the world.  A Spanish MP was recently both criticized and commended for breastfeeding her baby in the Spanish Parliament.  A group of MPs in the UK also called for a ban on breastfeeding mothers in the House of Commons chamber to be overturned.

With the risk of being criticized or be commended, allowing breastfeeding mothers in the Australian Parliament is considered by many a bold move taken by the Australian Government.

Tags

breastfeeding, Australia, Australian Parliament, Australian house of representatives, nursing mothers, Women's Rights, Women's Rights

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