Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I really appreciate the motion from the member for Werriwa as an opportunity to acknowledge that 15 October marked the International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. I extend my support and comfort to every couple and family in the Ryan electorate that has gone through the tragedy of stillbirth or early pregnancy loss. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this year difficult enough but, as we mark the day, we acknowledge that, on top of the pandemic, too many of our families and our couples are dealing with the additional tragedy this kind of loss brings. I'm a passionate supporter of local families, and I want those who are struggling with this issue to know that I understand their grief and I am here speaking on your behalf to secure more support.

There are six stillbirths each day, affecting over 2,000 families each year. I can't even begin to imagine their immense pain. To support parents who have lost a child to stillbirth, with the personal, social and financial impacts, the Morrison government's 2020 budget committed $7.6 million to address inconsistencies in payments for families impacted by this devastating event, irrespective of whether the child is stillborn or passes away within its first year and irrespective of whether it is the family's first or subsequent claim. I would like to thank Minister Ruston for her efforts on this issue. These changes will complement the improvements to unpaid leave entitlements through the fair work amendment bill which the Attorney-General has introduced to parliament. The changes will guarantee 12 months of unpaid leave for all eligible new parents, including those who have experienced stillbirth and infant death. I know the A-G is personally dedicated to these efforts, and I thank him on behalf of local families for that work.

In addition to experiencing the horror of stillbirth, up to one in five women who know they are pregnant will experience a miscarriage. This is a significant number of women and couples every year who will struggle with this grief. It is an epidemic within our community that remains unacknowledged. In my maiden speech I spoke about the fertility journey that my wife and I have endured. It included early pregnancy loss, and, as a result, like so many others, I know firsthand the emotional effects it has on couples. Like so many women, my wife just powered through the shock of early pregnancy loss because we felt it was best simply to move on and distract ourselves. In retrospect, I wish we had taken more time to process our grief properly and as a family. This would be my advice to other couples going through the same circumstances.

Recent research has found that 74 per cent of women who've suffer a miscarriage report feeling unsupported, and there is evidence that a shocking one in six women who experience miscarriage will go on to experience long-term post-traumatic stress as a result, yet the emotional impact of early pregnancy loss is little understood and not well enough supported. We need to do better, and we can do better. To that end, I would like to draw the attention of the House, as the member for Werriwa so eloquently did, to the efforts of the Pink Elephants Support Network, who I'm working with, and commend their efforts to those in the chamber for the support they are providing to local families. Pink Elephants was established in 2016 to address this gap and provide the latest resources, information and peer support for anyone impacted by early pregnancy loss. To address feelings of isolation and the temptation not to take the time to process grief, Pink Elephants has established the Leave for Loss campaign. The campaign seeks to ensure that Fair Work Australia makes available to women who suffer miscarriage and early pregnancy loss the two days of bereavement leave currently available for those who experience other forms of loss. In the case of early pregnancy loss, I can attest personally to people indeed grieving that loss. Having that grief recognised, as post-12-week stillbirth is and as other grief from loss is, would legitimise the pain that many of these couples are feeling. Thank you to Sarah-Jane, the COO of Pink Elephants, and board member Katrina for their engagement in and effort so far on the Leave for Loss campaign.

As well as the good work of Pink Elephants, there are other programs that the Morrison government is supporting. There is Red Nose, for example, who provide online and telephone bereavement support for people who've experienced miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death. There is a $43.9 million investment in mental health, $3 million for the Safer Baby Bundle program and $1.2 million for research.

To all those women and couples struggling with pregnancy and infant loss: I can assure you that there are many voices in this House who understand, respect and share your grief, and we'll strive to provide more support wherever we can.

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