Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I have received the following message from the Senate:

The Senate transmits to the House of Representatives the following resolution which was agreed to by the Senate this day:

That the Senate—

(1) notes that:

(a) 15 October is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, on which parents, families and friends memorialise babies lost through miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death; and

(b) in Australia:

(i) approximately one in four pregnancies result in miscarriage—103,000 every year;

(ii) in 2018, 2,789 lives were lost due to stillbirth or newborn death;

(iii) stillbirth rates have not changed in two decades; and

(iv) the rate of stillbirth and newborn death is higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

(2) congratulates the Government for implementing the Senate Select Committee on Stillbirth's recommendation for a national stillbirth action plan which sets an achievable goal of a 20 per cent reduction in rates of stillbirth over five years;

(3) extends condolences and sympathies to families who have suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death;

(4) recognises previous generations who experienced such a loss during a time when the subject was taboo, and families were given even less of an opportunity to commemorate and remember their children; and

(5) officially and eternally recognises 15 October as International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

The Senate requests the concurrence of the House of Representatives in this resolution.

Ordered that the message be considered immediately.

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