Page 4766 - Week 13 - Thursday, 28 November 2019
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To address the gap in the medical literature, the ACT will aim to participate in research that examines the benefits of pasteurised breastmilk in wider groups. If medical eligibility criteria expand, the ACT Health Directorate will reassess the potential demand for and financial implications of a local service.
I also recognise that informal milk sharing will continue to occur in the ACT. The government and health services will develop educational materials that are accessible and work with Canberra families to ensure they are informed about the evidence available when making their choices.
Finally, the report emphasises the value of strong breastfeeding and lactation supports. This aligns with the Australian national breastfeeding strategy 2019 and beyond, which was endorsed by all Australian health ministers on 8 March 2019. The national strategy seeks to achieve an enabling environment for breastfeeding through policies, education and support services. Implementing this strategy at a local level will be a key foundation for child health in the ACT, and the ACT Health Directorate is currently developing an implementation plan to progress important action in this space.
I thank the Assembly for the opportunity to deliver the outcomes of this work, and Ms Cheyne for her advocacy on this matter.
MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (3.05): I thank the minister and the directorate for this report today. It appears, from what the minister said, to be very comprehensive, and I look forward to its publication and to reading it in detail.
This came about through a motion that we passed unanimously. I believe it was on the agenda on Mrs Jones’s first or second day back from maternity leave last year. I recall that it was a really lovely debate in this place where we came together. I want to put on the record my thanks to the minister and the directorate for undertaking this serious and important work because it is a key issue for the Canberra community. We heard that in October 2018, and we continue to hear that, if the correspondence that my office receives, and I am sure other offices receive, is anything to go by. Indeed the petition started by Rob Gascoigne earlier this year is one signature shy of 2,000, which demonstrates that this community is very keen to be a giving community in a way that is safe and supportive.
I appreciate that this has been a very big body of work. I know that all of our health professionals are working incredibly hard at all times and have a very big body of work, without having extra motions put forward by Assembly members. I appreciate just how much effort has been undertaken. I understand from the community members who have reached out to me that there was significant consultation with stakeholders on this, so I expect that the report does have the most up-to-date and available information.
I accept that the directorate has provided advice not to proceed with a milk bank at this stage, in part due to our low population numbers. I am particularly encouraged to hear, from the minister’s words today, that it is not entirely off the table. It is not off
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