Josh Dolega (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm rising today in support of the Australian Unions campaign It's for Every Body. This campaign calls for 10 days of paid reproductive leave to be embedded in the National Employment Standards. This leave would give all workers, regardless of their sex or gender, the time that they need to manage reproductive health matters, including menstruation; pregnancy; breastfeeding and lactation; contraception; miscarriage and pregnancy loss; perimenopause and menopause; chronic conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis; hormone therapy; fertility treatments; IVF and assisted reproductive health services; hysterectomy and vasectomy; termination; and private health care, such as screenings for breast, cervical and prostate cancer.

These issues are widespread. They're deeply personal, and they're often invisible in the workplace, yet their impact is significant. One in seven Australian women suffer from endometriosis, one in six Australian couples experience fertility issues, one in 18 babies are born via IVF treatment, and one in six blokes are affected by prostate cancer. These numbers tell a story—one of resilience, silent suffering and a system that is yet to catch up. It's time for our workplace standards to reflect the current reality.

For many working women, especially those juggling caring responsibilities, the workday never truly ends. Women still perform 40 per cent more unpaid labour than men—cooking, cleaning, and caring for children and elderly parents. The invisible load is heavy, and, when women take leave, it's rarely for themselves. It's to care for others. This campaign is about changing that. It's about recognising that the body deserves care too.

It's not just a women's issue. Reproductive leave and reproductive health affects everybody. Blokes undergo vasectomies and have prostate treatment, and the grief of a miscarriage affects both parents. Reproductive health leave must be inclusive because dignity, healing and support should never depend on your gender.

Late last year, I heard directly from a great bunch of union delegates who had travelled to Canberra to tell us about how important reproductive leave would be for them and for their members. It would be transformative for someone like Sasha from Tasmania, who lives with polycystic ovary syndrome and has experienced 12 pregnancies, nine of which ended in miscarriage over 10 years. Without access to leave, Sasha had no time to grieve or recover. She had to return to work immediately to keep up with her mortgage. Reproductive leave would have given her the space to rest and heal without stigma.

There's also Rachel from Tasmania, who has experienced a great deal of tremendous and debilitating pain due to reproductive health issues. She's renowned among doctors for her incredible uterus. Rachel has fought tirelessly for women and other people to be recognised and treated with dignity in the workplace, because this is often a silent matter, and she's calling for people to have fair access.

It would be transformative for someone like Kara from Queensland, a young professional with endometriosis who pushed through work while battling debilitating pain and nausea. Kara hid her condition, afraid of being seen as unreliable. Reproductive leave would have allowed her to manage her health openly and without fear.

It would have been transformative for Jono and his partner, who underwent IVF while juggling full-time work, invasive procedures, emotional highs and would have given them the time and compassion needed to pursue parenthood.

Everyone deserves the right to care for their body without fear of judgement. Other countries are moving forward. They are recognising that reproductive health is a workplace issue. But, here, our employment standards still imagine the ideal worker as someone with no bodily needs, no caregiving responsibilities and no interruptions. That's not real life. When we ignore reproductive health, we don't just hurt individuals. We hurt our economy. Untreated reproductive health issues lead to absenteeism, unemployment, career derailment and even early retirement.

These are not rare conditions. They are widespread, and they deserve recognition. That's why Australian unions are calling for reproductive health leave, a dedicated paid entitlement that covers reproductive health needs. Just to be clear, it's not sick leave, it's not carers leave, it's not compassionate leave. It's a standalone leave entitlement reflecting the lived realities of millions of Australians.