>I receive the Newsletter of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. In the
>latest issue, Vol.4,No.4,1998 there was an editorial by Dr. Lawrence M.
>Gartner. He was making an observation of physicians involvement in
promoting
>and supporting breastfeeding. He states he was in Australia recently and
found
>the physicians had minimal to no involvement.

This really requires an essay answer rather than something for Lactnet, so I
will just say that perhaps it is not wise to make generalisations about a
country after a short visit.
In general, Australia is so much more pro-breastfeeding than the US that the
doctors don't need to be so involved in promoting breastfeeding.
There certainly are a number of doctors who are working hard to "protect,
promote and support breastfeeding" in Australia.
Lisa Amir
GP / IBCLC in Melbourne, Australia - who has been on the National Advisory
Council of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in Australia since 1993,
organised Peter Hartmann to speak at the annual conference of the Royal
Australian College of General Practitioners last year, etc, etc.