Mothers' right to breastfeed protected in Victoria
AM - Monday, April 3, 2000 8:15
COMPERE: In Victoria, breastfeeding in public is about to become an
unassailable right of nursing mothers with the changes to the Equal
Opportunity Act. Restaurants and cafes could be fined more than $10,000 if
they refuse to let mothers feed their babies the natural way.
Guilia Baggio spoke to Christine Campbell, Victorian Minister for Community
Services.
GIULIA BAGGIO: Christine Campbell, what prompted the strengthening of these
laws?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: I was phoned by a mother who had been expelled from the
food court at Crown Casino when her family and her friend's family were
there and one of them was breastfeeding.
GIULIA BAGGIO: Did the security guard say what the problem was in
particular?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: There was a person who had objected to the mother
feeding her baby.
GIULIA BAGGIO: Exposing the breast?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: The woman wasn't necessarily exposing her breast, she
was simply quietly breastfeeding her baby. You know, it wasn't an exhibition
of all that she had to show.
GIULIA BAGGIO: In your time as an MP in the State Parliament, have you had
many complaints from women saying they've been thrown out of various
establishments?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: Yes I have. Once I introduced the equal opportunity
legislation in opposition and it was denied, I had many women come to me
stating they'd been asked to leave trams, cafes, food courts, a retail
store; and I just thought that it was important that not only the equal
opportunity stated the word 'parental status' but it also stated
'breastfeeding'.
GIULIA BAGGIO: Now, restaurants and cafes can be fined up to $10,000 if they
don't comply with the law here. Have they contacted you to say they're not
happy about the changes?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: I have not had one complaint from any retailer or
business stating that this legislation's inappropriate.
GIULIA BAGGIO: Do you expect any complaints?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: I don't think we will have any complaints because most
restaurateurs and cafes want business, and mothers are part of their
business.
GIULIA BAGGIO: Can you understand how some people might find breastfeeding
offensive?
CHRISTINE CAMPBELL: Personally I can't find - I can't understand how anyone
would find breastfeeding offensive. But if such a person feels strongly
about this issue, they can leave - they can leave, not the mothers and the
baby. They can also avert their eyes, they can move their chair, they can
look the other way. The issue is not their personal satisfaction level, the
issue is there is a baby who is hungry that needs to be fed, and mum needs
to be able to feed her baby.
COMPERE: The Victorian Minister for Community Services, Christine Campbell.
<<...>> <<...>>
<<...>>
© 2000 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
<http://www.abc.net.au/common/copyrigh.htm>
****************************************************
Denise Fisher, BN, RM, IBCLC
BreastEd Online Lactation Studies Course
http://www.breasted.com.au
mailto:[log in to unmask]
****************************************************
***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
