Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to start by reading out a statement from the woman who has brought us all here today to pass this bill, the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025, a bill that is about compassion and care and nothing less. This is a statement from Priya's mum: 'The Baby Priya bill is deeply special and important to me. Over the past few days I have watched the parliamentary speeches with tears, gratitude and love. I want to sincerely thank every speaker who has supported this bill wholeheartedly, with such compassion, sensitivity and care. Your words have moved me beyond measure, and each speech and story, and each acknowledgement of Priya and our journey, has moved me to the core. I am especially thankful to Minister Rishworth for honouring what this bill truly represents, which is my love and legacy for Priya, and the hope that no other bereaved parent will ever be treated unfairly or unjustly again. The Baby Priya bill is more than legislation. It is my symbol of love, strength and devotion to my daughter. I am proudly grateful to everyone who has embraced and supported this legacy of love. From the depths of my heart, I thank you. With love, Priya's mum.'

From the depths of all of our hearts, we thank Priya's mum for the courage that she has shown in advocating not just for herself but for all of the women and all of the families who find themselves in these devastating circumstances of facing the loss of a child and then facing the loss of employer paid parental leave that should be there to help them get through, that should be there to help them grieve, that should be there to help them heal and that, with the passage of the bill, will be there.

Australia is one of the safest places in the world for a baby to be born, but, sadly, stillbirths and child loss do happen. The loss of a child is one of the most devastating things a parent can experience. It has a profound and long-lasting impact on parents, families and their communities. These are incredibly difficult circumstances for workers and managers to navigate. This bill will ensure there is greater clarity regarding employer funded paid parental leave for parents dealing with the tragedy of stillbirth or the death of a child. The changes made by this bill align employer paid parental leave with existing arrangements for unpaid parental leave entitlements and the government's Paid Parental Leave scheme, neither of which can be cancelled in the event of stillbirth or the death of a child, ensuring consistency for working parents and employers. This bill will not interfere where employers and employees have expressly agreed, including via an enterprise agreement, what should occur if a child is stillborn or dies. Provisions that refer generally to circumstances of pregnancy, such as some reproductive leave entitlements, will not be enough to override the protections in this bill.

I am disappointed to hear the contributions of a very small minority who have tried to say that this bill is about something that it is not about. What this bill is about is giving certainty to grieving parents at the most difficult time of their life. That's what it is about. As we've heard from the vast majority of members of all political colours who have contributed to this debate, this bill will make a positive difference. It will provide much-needed comfort and clarity to parents who are dealing with unimaginable pain. We cannot lose sight of the purpose of the bill or how important it is for these workers and for these families.

This reform is vital. It protects employer funded paid parental leave entitlements at one of the most difficult times a parent can face. Again I thank Baby Priya's mum, dad and grandparents for their fierce advocacy to ensure that no parent ever goes through what they did.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.