Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome this report, and I was very keen to participate in this committee because, whatever policy changes arise from it, the inquiry has brought the topic of stillbirth out into the open. On 2 July 1983 I gave birth to a still baby. His name was Timothy Robert Bilyk and he's buried in Gungahlin Cemetery. I make a point of that because that was 35 years ago. I doubt there's been a day in my husband's or my life that we have not thought about him. I doubt that people realise that, in those 35 years, the statistics have not changed. To me, the importance of this inquiry was to ensure that we manage to change those statistics.

The committee's report refers to a culture of silence around stillbirth, and the first step in addressing this tragedy is breaking that silence and tackling some of the myths and misconceptions. For example, stillbirth is more common than you may think. We've heard that around 2,000 stillbirths occur in Australia every year—six a day. That's six broken families every day. It's 30 times more common than SIDS.

The evidence submitted to this inquiry has shown that very often stillbirth is, to a degree, preventable. There are known risk factors as well as strategies to reduce those risks. We know that the risk can be reduced because we've seen from evidence overseas that, through education and awareness, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands have been able to dramatically reduce their stillbirth rates. The risk of stillbirth needs to be discussed with all expectant mothers, and there are practical things pregnant women can do to reduce their risk, such as sleeping on their side and monitoring foetal movements. Improved general maternal health also reduces the risk, as some of the risk factors include obesity, smoking, diabetes and hypertension. These messages can be disseminated through a public education campaign, improved antenatal education and mobile apps to help monitor foetal movements.

Another consequence of the silence around stillbirth is the way that it isolates mothers and the other family members who have experienced it. Stillbirth can be just as traumatic for families affected by it as the death of any other child. Unfortunately, the standard of bereavement care for those affected by stillbirth still varies quite dramatically from hospital to hospital, but breaking the culture of silence helps us to better support families. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins—they are all affected by stillbirth, particularly when they're also facing extra pressures with costs such as maternity care, the funeral and counselling. These pressures can be compounded by difficulty getting paid leave and the lack of specific provisions for stillbirth related leave. More than 50 per cent of stillbirths have no known cause, so we need more research as well as a coordinated and consistent approach to collecting data nationally—something that the inquiry highlighted as seriously lacking.

While I have little time today to go over them in detail, the committee's recommendations address the issues I've just outlined and are tied together with the recommendations for a national stillbirth action plan. I'm really pleased and proud that Labor has already led on these issues with our announcement in October of a $5 million package that we will deliver in government. This package includes: a national stillbirth strategy; an education campaign to encourage pregnant women to sleep on their sides; stillbirth research; and a free app to monitor the foetal heart and maternal sleeping. The strategy will be informed by this inquiry and developed in consultation with health professionals and, more importantly, with families who have experienced stillbirth.

I would also like to thank Sophie Dunstone and her committee team for their amazing work throughout this inquiry. Sophie seems to get some of the not-so-nice inquiries to deal with. I've worked with her on other committees, and she always does such a sterling job. She manages to bring people together and the witnesses together in an amazing way. Thank you, Sophie and your team. I was only a participating member on this committee; I wasn't a full member, but I did get to as many hearings as I could. To the other members of the committee: Malarndirri, you did an amazing job chairing this Committee sometimes committees aren't necessarily that smooth, but I think trying to improve things for parents of stillborn babies and to reduce stillbirths has really had an impact on all of us. Kristina, thank you for bringing it to the chamber. I will always remember your Caroline. Even though I didn't meet her, I will always remember her. Senator Rice, thank you as well and, Senator Molan, thank you.

One of the comments that really hit me and stayed with me since those hearings was by one of the mothers. I'm sorry, I can't remember who it was. She said, 'Talking about stillbirth doesn't necessarily mean it will happen to you.' That really hit home to me. It's like: that is so true. But preparing parents—mothers and fathers—for the fact that it might happen has been disregarded for so long. We really need to make sure that the recommendations in this report are acted on. All I can say is: thank you to everyone in the gallery and to the other witnesses and people who submitted. You weren't alone. We were on your journey with you. Thank you for your courage and for your bravery in telling your stories. It wasn't in vain. Thank you.

I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.