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Victoria’s Parliament will soon have a dedicated space to care for children
Freya Lucas
Nov 20, 2024
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MPs from across the political spectrum have united on a common issue in Victoria, lobbying for a space which will be more accommodating for young families.
As a result of their advocacy, plans are underway to have a dedicated space where an early childhood educator will provide onsite care for babies during parliamentary sessions for the first time in the 168-year history of Parliament being held at Spring Street.Three MPs - Euroa Nationals MP Annabelle Cleeland, Ripon Labor MP Martha Haylett, and Kew Liberal MP Jess Wilson - gave birth in September and October this year, and will, from February 2025, share the cost of a dedicated educator who will look after their children while Parliament is in session.
"Having a dedicated space where we can do breastfeeds or bottle-feeds will be just fantastic," Ms Haylett, who will bring her son Liam with her, shared with The ABC.
"When parliament is sitting, we can't leave the precinct and pop out of the building if there is an issue with our baby. Often we don't finish till 7:30pm, or if you're in the upper house, sometimes you go all night, so it doesn't accommodate taking your kids to childcare somewhere else."
Regional MPs, Ms Cleeland added, often find it challenging to navigate the demands of sittings, particularly when they live many hours from Melbourne.
"No one in parliament should have to choose between having children and being a member of parliament. Unfortunately, at times, people have had to make that decision," Ms Cleeland shared.
She will bring her daughter Sigrid with her when parliament is sitting next year. Sigrid is her third child, but the first born whilst in office. For Ms Cleeland, having a family was never something which she wanted to have interfere with her career.
"We can't surrender and say there's not the systems in place, so I'm not going to have a family," Ms Cleeland said.
"We have to be part of the conversation. We have to contribute to policy."
Having more parents who are on the frontline of navigating challenges around access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) involved in policy making, she continued, may drive more efficient decision making.
"I think we'd be in a lot different position in this childcare crisis, if we had more young mothers contributing to policies,” she said.
"We have a childcare care crisis, a health crisis and regional maternity care challenges. These are the issues that we speak to directly, we live them ourselves."
Another two MPs - Warrandyte Liberal MP Nicole Werner and Yan Yan Labor MP Lauren Kathage, are due to give birth in January. Owing to space limitations, the pair will be unable to join the creche arrangement already in place, but they are hopeful of an expansion of the program.
"We're having to 'build the airplane in the sky', adapting out of necessity because of the growing need for childcare in parliament," Ms Werner said.
"This needs to be a place where it's easy for people, including staff, to have children, so young women can see politics as a viable path."
Speaker Maree Edwards, who oversees parliamentary services, said plans were underway to accommodate more children.
"We are far behind the eight ball when it comes to giving people the option to bring their children to a secure workplace. It makes it hard for those with young babies, particularly those who are being breastfed." Ms Edwards said.
"Historically, this building wasn't designed for women MPs, let alone children, and that needs to change."
"It's essential to future-proof this building and make space for parents, partners, and children in Parliament."Access the ABC coverage of this story here.
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