2023-04-04
The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Government to amend the Equal Opportunity Act to prevent discrimination against breastfeeding women in all public places, including public areas of courts.
This follows the recent ejection of a breastfeeding woman and her baby from the public gallery of the County Court last month.
The current law covers employment, education, the provision of goods and services and accommodation, but it is clear from recent events there are grey areas and loopholes surrounding certain public places, such as public areas of courts.
The Greens say the Government must amend the Equal Opportunity Act and make it explicit that people cannot be discriminated against for breastfeeding in public areas of courts and all other public places in Victoria.
Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell, said that if the Victorian Government didn’t fix the loophole, the Greens would bring their own bill to Parliament.
In 2017, Ms Sandell was the first woman to breastfeed in the Victorian Parliament in 15 years, after Kirstie Marshall was kicked out for doing so in 2003.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell MP:
"Whenever my babies needed to feed, I breastfed them, including in Parliament, churches, cafes, and even on the curb in the city when there was nowhere to sit.
“Women should be able to breastfeed their babies wherever and whenever they need to, because it's a simple biological fact that when babies need to feed they cannot wait, not to mention that delaying or skipping breastfeeding can lead to serious health problems for the mother, like mastitis.
“Telling women they cannot breastfeed in a public place is humiliating and degrading, it sends the signal that women are not welcome in public spaces.
“There is clearly a loophole in the law in Victoria that still allows women to be excluded from public spaces like the courts, simply for needing to breastfeed a baby.
“The Victorian Government should fix this loophole, and if they don't, the Greens will introduce their own bill to fix it.”