Strangers in The House: A timeline of politicians fighting to keep their babies close.
It was February 2003 and I was charged with the honour of escorting Sheila Kitzinger around Melbourne while visiting for a breastfeeding seminar. Unexpectedly, I had a front-row seat for the biggest news story of the week. Ex Olympic skier, and new mother Kirstie Marshall was ordered to remove her baby from the Victorian State Parliament: the baby was classified as a “stranger in the house” and proceedings couldn't continue with her present!
“This is violating human rights - the human rights of babies to be fed, the human rights of mothers, and the human rights of fathers. I thought Australia was a progressive society. It seems to me inconceivable that a baby should not be fed when it needs to be fed."
-- Sheila Kitzinger, author and childbirth activist, The Age, February 28, 2003.
Yvette O'Dowd and Sheila Kitzinger 2003
That baby turned twenty years old this year. Since 2003 I have watched the gradual acceptance of infants in parliaments and other seats of government around the world. Yet they continue to be excluded by others. But we need to go back a bit further into last century to fully explore the history:
1995 Canberra: Labor senator Jacinta Collins brings newborn into Senate chamber. Reaches understanding with Senate president child can share her seat in an emergency.
1998 - Canada:
NDP MP Michelle Dockrill holds her seven-week-old baby Kenzie James as she votes during proceedings in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Canada
2000 United Kingdom:
In April 2000, Julia Drown MP for Swindon asked for clarification about whether she would be allowed to breastfeed her baby in a committee room during a sitting of a Standing Committee. In a letter issued on behalf of the then Speaker, Betty Boothroyd, Sir Alan Haselhurst instructed that babies should not be taken into the Chamber or Committee rooms on the grounds that “bringing refreshment into the [committee] room and the presence of persons other than members of the committee and specified officers and officials are prohibited.”1
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2001 Canberra: Labor MP Mark Latham brings three-month-old child into two divisions when without a child minder.
2003 Melbourne:
Victorian Labor MP Kirstie Marshall, a new mother, was asked to leave State Parliament for breastfeeding her 11-day-old daughter. During her first parliamentary question time, Marshall and her baby were ejected from Parliament by the serjeant-at-arms, citing a rule that bars "strangers" or unelected members from being in the house. Marshall, who had arrived at Parliament just as the session was starting, admitted that she instinctively breastfed her daughter. Her removal sparked a significant debate about the rights of babies and women returning to work, despite Marshall acknowledging the fairness of the parliamentary rules.
In March 2003, the ACT Legislative Assembly amended its standing orders to provide that the word "visitor" does not apply to an infant being breastfed by a Member.
The breastfeeding incident in the Victorian Legislative Assembly led to a review of the standing orders on visitors in the Senate by the Procedure Committee. It was considered that a similar incident ‘could well arise now that there are young women senators’. The Committee recommended that access to the chamber floor be allowed ‘in respect of a senator breastfeeding an infant’.Arguments against the proposal were not canvassed in the Committee’s report. The proposed standing order 175(3) was considered and agreed to by the Senate on 13 May 2003 without a formal division or public debate.65 It appears that the provision is rarely used.
2005 Canberra: Senior government MP Jackie Kelly forced to leave her three-year-old son Lachlan unattended in the public gallery of Parliament House while she attended Question Time.
2007: New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales (NSW) became an accredited Breastfeeding Friendly workplace, making it the first state parliament in Australia to offer such facilities. This accreditation was received from the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA). While breastfeeding in the parliamentary chambers was not officially established in the standing orders, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the President of the Legislative Council had the discretion to allow mothers to breastfeed in these chambers. Legislative Assembly Speaker Richard Torbay expressed his support for the proposal and stated that if a minister or member of parliament wished to breastfeed in the chamber, he would be inclined to approve and support it. Additionally, he was working towards making this change a permanent one within the standing orders.
2008 Canberra: The ACT Assembly changed standing orders in 2008 to allow breastfeeding, with the rules now reading, "While the Assembly is sitting no stranger, other than a nursing infant being breastfed by a Member, may be present in any part of the Chamber allocated to Members of the Assembly."
2009 Canberra:
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young made headlines when her two-year-old daughter Kora was taken from her arms and ejected from the Senate chamber.
On 18 June 2009, the President of the Senate ruled that a child of a Senator be removed from the chamber. Formal parliamentary procedures do not allow for senators or members to bring their children onto floor of the Senate and House of Representatives chamber. The only exception is for breastfeeding mothers in the Senate. • The rules on the admittance of visitors or ‘strangers’ within the parliamentary chambers have a long history in the Westminster tradition of parliamentary practice. Only in the last 20 years have these ancient provisions been revised.
Children in the parliamentary chambers Dr Mark Rodrigues Politics and Public Administration Section
2009 Canberra: Labor MP Catherine King brings one-year old son into chamber on several occasions.
2009 European Union:
Denmark's member of the European Parliament Hanne Dahl takes part with her baby in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg March 26, 2009. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler
2010 European Union:
MEP Licia Ronzulli’s daughter attended sessions in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
2011 United Kingdom:
Baroness Worthington is the first breastfeeding member of the House of Lords.
Lady Worthington, who is herself the youngest woman member of the Lords, added: ‘He’s much happier being taken to the Lords than being at home.’
‘He likes being stimulated, so this is ideal. It’s very bright and busy. He looks around at all the gold and colour. I think he probably thinks it’s normal now.’ “
2012 Canada:
Quebec MP Sana Hassainia faced an incident at the House of Commons that is fueling a demand for reform. While attending a vote, she brought her three-month-old baby boy with her. However, a page approached her and informed her that the Speaker wanted her to remove the baby from the chamber. Hassainia expressed her disappointment, stating that her baby posed no threat to national security, as the rules prohibit strangers from entering. She emphasized that her baby was not causing any disturbance and was in her arms until she was asked to remove him. Usually, Hassainia has her husband's help as a breastfeeding mother during her duties in the House. However, on Tuesday, she was unable to find him in time for the vote. This incident has inspired Hassainia to advocate for changes ensuring that parents can fully participate in parliamentary proceedings with comfort.
2015 Argentina:
Argentinian politician Victoria Donda Perez praised after breastfeeding photo taken during parliamentary session goes viral.
Victoria Donda Perez was attending a meeting in Argentine National Congress earlier this month when she had to feed her eight-month-old daughter.
2015 New South Wales:
When the division bells rang at 6.15pm, Labor MP Courtney Houssos rushed to the NSW Legislative Council to vote, with her 19-month-old daughter Anna in her arms. But she stopped at the door. Ms Houssos couldn't take her seat inside the chamber until someone came to take care of her child.
2015 Australia:
Liberal frontbencher Kelly O'Dwyer was told by her government's chief whip to "express more milk at home" to meet her Parliamentary duties
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2015 Northern Territory: An amendment to Standing Orders is made to accommodate breastfed infants: “Except with the permission of the Speaker, who may exercise discretion in the case of nursing parents with young infants, only Members are permitted on the floor the Chamber during meetings of the Assembly. On other days, the permission of the Speaker is required for a visitor to enter onto the floor of the Chamber.”
2015 Canberra: Kelly O'Dwyer and her daughter Olivia with Amanda Rishworth and her son Percy at Parliament House in Canberra in August.
2016 Canberra: On 2 February 2016 the House of Representatives adopted a resolution permitting the bringing of infants onto the floor of the House when in the care of a parent of either gender
2016 Madrid: Carolina Bescansa, an MP with Podemos, was criticised for breastfeeding her baby in parliament. Some called it unnecessary.
2016 European Parliament:
Member Anneliese Dodds (C) holds her baby as she takes part in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France (FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images)
2016 Brazil:
Brazilian Minister Manuela D'avila Breastfeeding her child in the National Assembly while on session.
2016 Tasmania:
TASMANIAN Lower House MPs who are also new mums will be able to bring their babies into the chamber under historic changes instigated by the Speaker.The change is set to have an immediate impact, with Labor MP Rebecca White due to have a baby this month.
2017 Japan: Yuka Ogata took her seven-month-old son to join a municipal assembly session of southern Kumamoto city on Wednesday but other lawmakers asked her to leave, according to local media.
"Under the rules, only politicians, staff members and city officials can go on to the assembly floor,"
2017 Canberra:
Greens Senator Larissa Waters' daughter Alia may only be two months old but she has already made history by becoming the first baby to be fed on the floor of Federal Parliament.
"I am so proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the Federal Parliament," Senator Waters said.
Parliamentary rules were changed last year to allow mothers to feed their children in the chamber.
Previously parliamentary rules stated children were technically banned in the chamber and breastfeeding mothers were given a proxy vote.
2017 Canberra:
MP Kate Ellis brings her child into the House of Representatives during the debate into the marriage equality bill at Parliament House on December 7, 2017 in Canberra, Australia
2017 New Zealand:
Willow-Jean Prime, a Labor MP from New Zealand, breastfed her baby in the parliament debating chamber in November 2017. The image was all the more striking because she was sitting next to MP Kiri Allan, who had also brought her child into the chamber.
2017 Melbourne:
Ellen Sandell, an Australian MP in the state of Victoria, breastfed her baby daughter in the Victorian parliament in September 2017.
2017 Sweden:
A Swedish MEP who took her baby to a vote at the European Parliament has called for workplaces to be more “child friendly”.
A picture of Social Democrat politician Jytte Guteland with her young son on her knees went viral after being shared hundreds of times on Twitter.
The MEP said she wanted to normalise bringing children to work so that parents could do so when necessary.
2018 Germany:
A politician was forced to leave a state parliament during a vote because she brought her baby, highlighting the difficulties faced by lawmakers with children.
Madeleine Henfling, a Green Party member of the state parliament of Thuringia in east-central Germany, tried to vote on Wednesday while carrying her 6-week-old baby.
Her participation would have taken a few minutes.
However, Christian Carius – Thuringia’s state parliament president – told Henfling that babies are not allowed in the plenary hall. The session was suspended for 30 minutes while the issue was discussed.
2018 USA: Senator Tammy Duckworth already has resolved one roadblock in the way of being a successful senator-parent: She persuaded the Senate to change its rules to allow infants on the floor until they are 1 year old.
2018 Canada:
Liberal MP Karina Gould breastfeed her three-month-old son during question period in the House of Commons.
2018 Queensland:
“Queensland Parliament's rules are likely to be changed to allow MPs' babies into the chamber, after the Labor Member for Keppel, Brittany Lauga, fed her baby Odette yesterday during the first sitting of the new term.
Ms Lauga was technically in breach of the Standing Orders which do not permit anyone who is not an MP on to the floor.
New Speaker Curtis Pitt has told the ABC the prohibition against "strangers" in the house could be relaxed.
"I believe that a three-and-a-half-month-old little girl poses no threat to MPs," Mr Pitt said.”
2018 United Nations:
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden is the first female world leader to bring her baby to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
2018 Australian Capital Territory:
Giulia Jones made history by becoming the first politician to breastfeed in the ACT Chamber. Mrs Jones is the first politician to breastfeed in the ACT parliamentary chamber, which changed its standing orders to specifically allow it after Kirstie Marshall was thrown out of the Victorian parliament for breastfeeding in 2003.
2018 United Kingdom:
“An MP who became the first to take her baby into a Commons debate has said she hopes it will signal a step forward in modernising parliament.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson appeared in the chamber with Gabriel on Thursday during a discussion about proxy voting.
Speaking to BBC Scotland on Friday morning, she said it had felt like the "natural thing to do".”
2019 Kenya:
On August 7, Kenyan Member of Parliament Zulekha Hassan and her 5-month-old baby were kicked out of parliament. Hassan had entered the debating chamber with her baby in her arms during morning parliamentary proceedings, technically breaking house rules that prevent a “stranger” from entering the chambers, including babies.
2019 New Zealand:
New Zealand speaker Trevor Mallard feeds MP’s baby during parliament debate the scene has become familiar in New Zealanders, with Mallard often cradling infants in the chamber to allow their parents to debate.
2019 United Kingdom:
“Babies of the house came to Westminster this week as MPs returned or were welcomed for the first time after the general election.
Labour MP Stella Creasy and Tory MP Kemi Badenoch were both sworn in to take their seats in Parliament while carrying their newborn babies.
Both mums are on maternity leave but needed to appear in Westminster in person to take an oath or solemn affirmation of allegiance to the Crown.”
2019 Denmark:
You are not welcome with your baby in the parliament’s chamber,” the speaker, Pia Kjaersgaard, a former leader of the far-right Danish People’s Party, allegedly told Mette Abildgaard.
2020 California: In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, California legislator Buffy Wicks was not allowed to vote by proxy even though she had given birth and her newborn baby had jaundice, and therefore needed to be breastfed regularly.
“A California lawmaker brought her newborn baby with her to the state capitol in Sacramento after she was told she could not vote by proxy Monday.
Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D) was told that she did not meet the standards for using a proxy to vote due to coronavirus concerns despite having given birth recently.
Instead, Wicks traveled from Oakland to Sacramento with her month-old daughter to argue in favor of a bill that would streamline the process for creating multi-unit housing.
“Please, please, please pass this bill,” she said, “And I’m going to go finish feeding my daughter.”
2021 Denmark:
Pernille Skipper of the Red Green Alliance was asked during Thursday’s opening debate to leave the parliamentary chamber with her baby. Pia Kjærsgaard, former leader of the Danish People’s Party, was in the Speaker’s chair at the time.
2021 South Australia: MPs are now also allowed to bring their babies into the chamber and breast or bottle feed them.
2021 UK: “Breastfeeding British MP Told Not To Bring Baby To Parliament Labour Party legislator Stella Creasy said she had received a letter from Commons authorities after she took her son Pip to a debate.
She said she had previously taken both Pip and her older daughter to Parliament without problems, but had been told the rules had changed in September. Members of Parliament are now advised that they "should not take your seat in the chamber when accompanied by your child.””
2022 Ireland: “Seven-month-old baby Collins Mountaine made history on Wednesday night when her mother Violet-Anne Wynne became the first TD to bring a baby into the chamber. Ms Wynne, who returned to Leinster House last week, said she felt it was important to return to work ahead of next week’s budget.
“Because of the importance of the role and the responsibility to the Clare people, that just plays hugely on your mind if you’re not present,” she said. “I knew that I would want to go back as soon as possible.”
The TD, who was first elected in 2020, is still breastfeeding and had found it difficult to leave her daughter with her partner at home in Clare. “She was getting too upset, and wasn’t able to settle for the night,” she said.”
2022 Canberra: “A restless baby has caused a scene in Parliament when a politician sparked uproar by appearing to make the little boy cry.
Labor MP Lisa Chesters brought her 16-month-old son Charlie into the House of Representatives during a vote on the climate change bill on Thursday.
Charlie wriggled around in his mum’s lap, climbing on the benches either side and tugging at Ms Chesters’ mask as they waited for a vote to be counted.
Ms Chesters’ neighbour Sam Rae tried to entertain the increasingly bored child but as Charlie tried to climb on to the bench in front his hand slipped and he fell slightly towards Mr Rae before his mum pulled him back up.
As the little boy let out a loud cry, the rest of the chamber heckled Mr Rae with shouts of ‘what did you do to him, Sam?’
The mortified MP stood up with his hands raised to flee the scene, but this only increased the heckling as he was told to sit down.
MPs are not allowed to leave their seats when a vote has started, which Mr Rae as a newly elected member may not have remembered.
Speaker Milton Dick scolded Mr Rae, Charlie settled down quickly, and the vote on one of many proposed amendments continued smoothly.”
2023 Canberra:
Ari Stewart, the son of Senator Jana Stewart, is the first Aboriginal child to enter the Senate chamber floor.
The Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba senator brought her son into the Senate on Thursday, making him the first Koori baby to enter the Senate chamber floor.
He is only the fourth baby to enter the Senate Chamber and the first Aboriginal child to enter.
In 2016 the Senate 'strangers' rule was revised to enable senators to bring infants in their care to their seats.
2022 New South Wales: Parliament of NSW was recognised and awarded as meeting the Best Practice standards for a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace
2023 Italy: “An Italian lawmaker who fought for a rule so that women can be allowed to nurse their babies during a parliamentary session has now become the first woman to do just that.
Bipartisan applause broke out on Wednesday when Gilda Sportiello, a member of the lower Chamber of Deputies, nursed her 2-month-old son during a legislative vote. In the previous legislature, Sportiello had successfully pushed for a rule to be passed by the chamber’s rules committee to allow women to participate in voting and debates while nursing their children until their babies are 12 months old.”
Radio 3AW Melbourne
10 February 2023
NEIL MITCHELL, HOST: On the line is the Federal Health Minister Mark Butler. Good morning.
MINSTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE, MARK BUTLER: Good morning, Neil.
MITCHELL: Now just out of left field first, do you think babies should be banned from Parliament?
BUTLER: Oh, nice, easy question to start our interview with thanks Neil.
MITCHELL: That's the idea. What do you think? I mean, the UK’s banned them and It's becoming the fashion here. We've had them in the State Parliament and the Federal Parliament.
BUTLER: We've had them in the Federal Parliament when babies need to be fed by their mother. I think, having a family friendly, including breastfeeding friendly workplace in the Parliament gives a whole lot of extra opportunity for women to rise to be Parliamentarians. So, no, I think we've got the balance right. I don't think people overdo it. I think they bring their babies in when they need to feed. Otherwise, babies are usually in the childcare centre at Parliament House if they're over in Canberra or being cared for by a family member who might have travelled with them. But I think we've got the balance right. I think it's a much friendlier, certainly family friendly workplace now than it was when I first came.
Larissa Waters breastfeeding her baby is such an iconic moment, it is included in the amazing Lego creation of Parliament House, Canberra by The Brickman
