Baby Priya brought compassion to the parliament. Then four men hijacked the debate

Jacqueline Maley
November 2, 2025

Politics can be a cynical and nasty business, but outbreaks of grace and compassion do occur. One happened on Wednesday during a parliamentary debate for the second reading speech of “Baby Priya’s Bill”. MP after MP rose to speak with sensitivity about one of life’s most devastating experiences – the birth of a stillborn baby.

The bill will amend workplace laws to ensure employee entitlements to parental leave extend to parents whose baby has been stillborn, or who has tragically died in infancy. The bill is named after baby Priya, who was born prematurely at 24 weeks in June 2024. For six weeks, she battled for life in the neonatal intensive care unit. Then she died.

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(https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/baby-priya-brought-compassion-to-the-parliament-then-four-men-hijacked-the-debate-20251031-p5n6s7.html)

Australia – Hastie, Joyce ignite late-term abortion fight over paid leave for stillbirth law

By Natassia Chrysanthos
October 29, 2025

Four Coalition MPs have renewed a debate over “late-term abortions” in federal parliament, raising concern that laws guaranteeing paid leave for parents of stillborn children will be used by mothers whose pregnancies are terminated.

Outspoken MPs Andrew Hastie and Barnaby Joyce aired the issue during debate over “Baby Priya’s Bill” – a proposed amendment to existing laws that would ensure employers can’t cancel paid parental leave because a child is stillborn or dies.

Continued: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/hastie-joyce-ignite-late-term-abortion-fight-over-paid-leave-for-stillbirth-law-20251029-p5n6c4.html