Page 2986 - Week 10 - Friday, 8 October 2021
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I do thank her for reaffirming her party’s commitment to territory rights. It is pleasing to hear. But as the leader of the Canberra Liberals, it is clear and it is concerning that she does not speak for all Canberra Liberals. More than that, the Canberra Liberals’ one representative in federal government is actively and knowingly undermining her on the issue and defying ACT residents’ wishes. The correspondence we received from the commonwealth government, let us be clear, is from a minister from the same party as Ms Lee.
Mr Parton shouted across the chamber earlier, I think to me, “Are you going to fight it or fix it?” This is a question he should be directing to his leader. What is she doing to fix her own party’s inconsistent, embarrassing and contemptuous position on this federally? In the meantime, we look forward to the federal election, where we really will have our say.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (11.46): I, and also on behalf of Ms Cheyne and Ms Lee, move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes:
(a) one in five Australian women have lost a child through miscarriage, stillbirth or within a month of birth; and
(b) Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is recognised on 15 October in jurisdictions across Australia and internationally; and
(2) acknowledges the loss and grief resulting from pregnancy and infant loss, and offers its support to those members of our community who have been affected by this loss.
I am very pleased to be co-sponsoring this important motion with Minister Cheyne and Ms Lee. This is a topic that touches many families in the territory. The loss of a child is simply heartbreaking and it is so difficult to capture in remarks in this place the depth of the grief and the impact that such loss has on the parents and families of those who experience it.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia is one of the safest places in the world for a baby to be born, yet death occurring within the perinatal period is not uncommon. The AIHW reports that every day in Australia six babies are stillborn and two die within 28 days of birth. One in five Australian women have lost a child through miscarriage, stillbirth or within a month of birth.
The AIHW reported that in the ACT in 2017 we recorded 10.3 stillbirths per 1,000 births, compared to the national average of 7.1. These figures and reports provide us with data to assist our health and maternity services, our support organisations and our governments to work towards improving the outcomes for infants and families.
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