Parliament has voted unaminously to support a Green Party members bill to allow women to look after their babies in prison for longer.
Under the current law newborns can stay with their mothers for six months with the possibility of a three month extension.
Green MP Sue Bradford has lodged a private members bill which would extend that period out to two years, with mothers allowed to bond with their babies in specially built self care units.
"They will have a much better start to their life together, the mother will have a much better chance at rehabilitation and living a life without being part of the criminal world," says Bradford.
Lawyer Gary Gottlieb says many women are more concerned about losing their baby than doing time.
"That becomes the major punishment, it's a punishment they feel guilt over, they feel they're letting their child down and the bonding that takes place in the first two years is important," says Gottlieb
However, there is concern for the child's welfare while in jail
and what they will remember of it.
In a rare move all political parties voted in favour of sending the
bill to a select committee for further consideration.
