Page 4237 - Week 13 - Thursday, 19 November 2015
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accreditation in all directorates, and currently the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, the Health Directorate, the Environment and Planning Directorate and the Community Services Directorate have all gained breastfeeding-friendly workplace accreditation.
Both accredited and non-accredited workplaces have put in place mechanisms to support breastfeeding in the workplace, including adapting private areas to be used for breastfeeding purposes; providing breastfeeding facilities in multiple locations where relevant, including shared facilities in the event different entities share a single location; and providing toolkits housing further information for those in managerial positions about providing appropriate facilities and support for nursing mothers while they are working.
We have seen the success of this strategy, with over 99 per cent of women who were on maternity leave in 2012 and 2013 having returned to the workforce. This statistic further demonstrates the supportive work environment that the ACT public service provides to its working mothers.
As Mrs Jones has drawn attention to, the ability of nursing mothers to represent their community is tied to the practices and procedures of this place being flexible. I am seeking to expand the scope of this conversation through my amendment to Mrs Jones’s motion in the admin and procedures committee to recognise the need to ensure that the unique work environment here in the Legislative Assembly does not prevent any person elected from performing their duties or discouraging a diverse range of candidates from seeking that privilege.
I have brought this amendment here today because I know personally that caring responsibilities were a significant consideration in my own decision to seek election in 2012. The ACT Assembly had for many years worked over long and highly variable sitting hours in this place. Reform undertaken by Jon Stanhope and Katy Gallagher to standardise sitting times was an important reform, and while it still can be a juggle, I did not have to choose between being available for my kids and fulfilling my duty as a representative. This aligns with community expectations.
The community’s understanding of parenting, family and caring has changed. The rising prevalence of households where all adults are in paid employment outside the home has forced our community to tackle the cultural notion that behind every worker there is someone taking care of children, elderly parents, or any of the network of care that for most of us extends beyond the people that we share a roof with.
As well as providing flexibility for women who historically took on caring roles, it has had benefits for the whole workforce. We now expect people to be able to leave their employment if their child is injured or if someone they have caring responsibilities for is sick or if their parent is sick. It means that more people share the burden, but also that more people are able to build the connection that comes from being part of their family’s major life events.
There are so many types of families: adopted and foster families, step-families, one-parent families, families with two parents of the same sex, as well as families
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