Bennett Paula: Employment Relations (Breaks and Infant Feeding) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Bennett Paula: Employment Relations (Breaks and Infant Feeding) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:646;Page:15516] 
PAULA BENNETT (National) 
: 
 It is great to be here and have the opportunity to talk about the Employment Relations (Breaks and Infant Feeding) Amendment Bill. I take the opportunity to particularly speak about women their maternity issues breastfeeding and what that certainly means for them. 
Breastfeeding and that time after having a baby is without a doubt often a traumatic time for women. It can also be the best time of their lives and they certainly deserve every bit of support that we can give them. So many issues impact on one’s ability to breastfeed that I suppose I take some caution when I hear people extolling the virtues of breastfeeding which we certainly do not disagree with because I have sympathy for those women who for whatever reason cannot breastfeed. I know that as well as suffering from everything else that happens after having a new baby feeling that guilt of actually not being able to breastfeed can have an effect on women. I just wanted to comment slightly on that; I know it is a little off the subject but it is important for those women. 
If one asked women who have had their babies and are looking for some sort of assistance what they actually want they would say that post-maternity care is what is absolutely important to them. They would talk about the opportunity to stay more than just one night in hospital to have that ongoing care. They would talk about having more regular visits from their initial primary carers—usually their midwives—who in every case that I know of do the best job they possibly can but are often stretched to such an extent that they cannot visit mothers and new babies in homes to help them with breastfeeding as much as they would like. Those women would talk about their visits from Plunket how often they happen and the effects that has on them raising their babies particularly in the first 3 months. In those early times those women certainly do not raise work issues although we can understand that once they return to work and wish to continue breastfeeding there needs to be some acknowledgment for that. 
If this Labour Government was truly serious about helping those very women who find themselves with new babies it would be addressing some of those issues that are so important. Through mothers repeatedly coming to us in our offices and through speaking daily with people we know what is most important. 
At this stage I take my hat off to the malls. I do not know whether many people in this House have had new babies in the last couple of years but—being a woman who likes to shop myself—I can tell members that the malls have stepped up and are providing some pretty impressive facilities for mothers with newborn babies. Not only workplaces but other areas that women often frequent are catching up. At least they have come up with private spaces—and I heard the member talking previously about women sitting on toilet seats and trying to express milk or breastfeed their babies. I think that society is catching up. That is where I would like to press it and say that since society and workplaces are catching up do we need to legislate? Should we not be saying educate do not legislate? 
It seems that if it moves this Government needs to legislate for it. I reckon that Heather Simpson was sitting in her office with Helen Clark and said: “Oh my goodness! The polls are bad we’re not making it and we’re losing the women’s vote to National. What we’d better do is look back at some of the legislation that we looked at 8 years ago which we dismissed because we thought it would be a waste of Parliament’s time. We had better start thinking of something that we can announce in an election year because we’re looking tired and like we have no new ideas. We had better come up with something.” So Labour members ruffled around in those dusty old boxes—because goodness knows it has been nearly 9 long long years—and in there somewhere they found a piece of paper on which someone had written that he or she had met a couple of people who did not get their tea breaks and those members thought that maybe they could do something about breastfeeding women as well because that’s always good and cuddly and no one can disagree with it. 
Then they wondered how they would get this legislation out there. Goodness knows it is not that important but it will cost a lot of money to put through a select committee with officials reports and all that sort of stuff. Labour decided to do it on Easter Sunday when everyone is desperate for some sort of news and its members announced it like it was the biggest announcement of the year. Labour thought it needed to bring in babies women and the most vulnerable workers and it thought that this is perfect legislation for that. Those members thought: “If those nasty Nats start speaking against this we’ve got them! We’ll be able to stand up and say that they don’t care about women and babies and that they don’t support this legislation. We’ve got the nasty Nats by the shorts.” I tell members that that is ridiculous. We should educate not legislate. Labour is clutching in desperation to find some legislation to bring out this year. Goodness knows select committees have not got enough work. The Education and Science Committee did not even sit today because there is not enough legislation going through. 
Yet again we say that of course we support infant feeding. It is without a doubt that we support women breastfeeding. My colleagues spoke earlier of our societal concerns and about a culture of women going back to work and at times feeling that pressure to go back too early. We talk to women these days who are embarrassed of being stay-at-home mums. They should raise their heads proudly because there is no job that could be more worthwhile for anyone. In support of women I say “Good on you.” To Labour I say “Desperate times desperate decisions and I suppose you had to give it a go.”