In a significant legislative move, a bill aimed at improving parental leave rights in cases of stillbirth and infant deaths has passed in Australia. The bill is inspired by the tragic story of baby Priya, who died at only 6 weeks old. It seeks to empower parents with more dignity and compassion as they process their grief and move forward amidst a painful journey. On Monday, Amanda Rishworth, Minister for Social Services, welcomed the addition of these provisions to the Fair Work Act. She accompanied Priya’s parents to Parliament House in Canberra for the event.
To avoid other families suffering their heartbreaking loss, Priya’s parents began an effort to repeal what they called “unfair” rules about parental leave. Their persevering efforts struck a chord across the country, bringing in over 32,000 voices to show their support for Priya’s petition! This outpouring of response made clear the need for societal change with the way parents are treated in such horrific tragedies.
Amanda Rishworth emphasized the importance of the new legislation, stating that it will bring “the dignity in the event of a stillbirth or early death of a child.” She told me that she’s optimistic that these changes will spark much-needed conversations about stillbirth and infant mortality. These issues continue to be taboo subjects for many families to discuss.
As Priya’s mother expressed, the bill is about more than legal reform. It’s about love, compassion, dignity, and respect. And she pointed out that Priya’s story has paved the way for parents to be treated with dignity and compassion through unbearable circumstances.
This change in legislation follows an absolutely horrifying experience that affected Priya and her family. After notifying her employer of 11 years about Priya’s passing just five days after her death, Priya’s mother found that her workplace canceled three months of pre-approved paid parental leave. Such actions have already sparked conversations about the emotional impact these policies can have on grieving families.
These changes were not popular with all lawmakers. Liberal Senator Alex Antic, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation attempted to limit entitlements related to late-term terminations during the debate.
Priya’s father denounced these contrary opinions, calling the public dialogue around them as indicative of the “politics of hate.” He expressed his frustration, stating, “It was hurtful to my wife; it’s disrespectful to our daughter.” He further added, “I think about the politics of hope and human decency, and I think we need more of that in the Australian parliament.”
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, that’s a sobering one every day in Australia – six babies are stillborn. Further, every day in the U.S. two babies die before their first month of life. With such a high prevalence of perinatal loss, these statistics firmly establish the need for supportive policies that protect grieving parents.
