In a significant step towards compassionate workplace policies, parents enduring the grief of stillbirth or infant loss will no longer face the added burden of having their paid parental leave revoked. This change ensures that families can now mourn their devastating loss with the respect and support they deserve.
Just five days after experiencing the heartbreaking loss of their six-week-old daughter Priya, a grieving mother reached out to her employer of over a decade. However, her sorrow deepened when she was informed that her previously approved three months of paid parental leave had been rescinded.
In contrast, her husband Chris was permitted to utilize his full leave benefits, highlighting a disparity in the treatment of grieving parents.
Determined to address this inequity, the couple launched a campaign to challenge these unjust policies, amassing over 32,000 signatures in support of their cause through baby Priya’s petition.
This Monday, Priya’s parents stood alongside Workplace Minister Amanda Rishworth at Parliament House in Canberra, celebrating the enactment of amendments to the Fair Work Act that embrace these crucial changes.
Priya’s parents joined Workplace Minister Amanda Rishworth at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday to mark changes to the Fair Work Act passing.
Under the law, workplaces will not be able to cancel paid parental leave if employees have experienced a stillbirth or infant loss.
Priya’s mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, said her daughter’s life had set the precedent for how parents should be treated.
The parents of baby Priya (pictured) have successfully launched a campaign to overturn the ‘unfair’ paternity leave rules
Their laws will ban workplaces from being able to cancel paid parental leave if employees have experienced a stillbirth or infant loss (pictured, Priya’s parents with Minister for Employment Amanda Rishworth and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese)
‘Priya’s bill is about love, compassion, dignity and respect,’ she said as tears welled in her eyes and her hands trembled.
‘It is a symbol of my love for my daughter, Priya, in moments when I was made to feel like my daughter’s life didn’t matter.
‘Baby Priya’s Bill honours my daughter, and it also honours every baby who has passed, and sadly, every baby who will pass in Australia.’
Ms Rishworth said she hoped the changes will give parents rights in this circumstance while bringing ‘out of the shadows’ a conversation about stillbirth and early death.
‘We need to have compassion in our community and in our society,’ she said.
A small group within the coalition argued the bill should be written to exclude parents who experienced late-term pregnancy terminations.
In the upper house, Liberal Senator Alex Antic, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation unsuccessfully attempted to limit entitlements where late-term terminations applied.
A number of coalition senators voted in favour of the bid.
Workplace Minister Amanda Rishworth (pictured) hoped the changes will bring ‘out of the shadows’ a conversation about stillbirth in the workplace
Priya’s parents (right) said the law will improve working conditions in Australia and provide compassion and dignity for parents (Amanda Rishworth and Anthony Albanese left)
Priya’s father Chris labelled the debate surrounding late-term abortion in the context of the changes as ‘politics of hate’.
‘It was hurtful to my wife, it’s disrespectful to our daughter,’ he said.
‘I think about the politics of hope and human decency, and I think we need more of that in the Australian parliament.’
Ms Rishworth said the bill is about giving parents ‘the dignity in the event of a stillbirth or early death of a child’.
‘I’m disappointed that some senators tried to make it something that this is not,’ she said.
Six babies are stillborn every day and two die within 28 days of birth in Australia, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data.
