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Australia - Source: ONE News
An Australian senator whose crying toddler was ejected from
parliament during a political vote has prompted a review of chamber
rules and sparked a heated debate over child-friendly work
practices.
Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she was
humiliated when Senate President John Hogg ordered her teary
two-year-old daughter removed from the parliamentary chamber before
a vote, in accordance with parliamentary rules.
"It shows that parliament is still based on a very male model and I
just think it's absolutely ridiculous," said Women's Electoral
Lobby Chairwoman Eva Cox.
Hogg said he was responsible for "proper conduct" in the upper
house, but supported a review of rules which bar children and other
outsiders from the Senate during votes.
The Senate leader of the conservative Nationals party Barnaby Joyce
said Hanson-Young had staged a stunt and could have avoided being
caught out during a locked-door vote, with bells alerting all
lawmakers beforehand.
"Within that Senate are votes for things that might send people to
war, that might get people killed. This requires certain
sacrifices," Joyce said.
"The child is a prop and the Senate has become a stage."
Greens Leader Bob Brown said he would push for the Senate's
procedures to be changed to give parents more flexibility.
Hanson-Young said the four minutes apart from her daughter Kora,
who was placed in the care of a staffer, were longest few minutes
I've ever had.
She won backing from a lawmaker in Victoria State who was
ejected from parliament several years ago for breastfeeding a child
in parliamentary chamber.
"I think it's just ludicrous. She was required in her capacity in
her job as a senator to vote, therefore she was being denied that
opportunity based on the fact she had some responsibilities as a
parent," Kirstie Marshall said.
But a television poll of public opinion found most people had
little sympathy, with 88% of respondents backing Hogg's exclusion
order.
