A new campaign to mark World Breastfeeding Week is aiming at raising awareness among mothers of their legal rights to breastfeed at any time or place.
This also includes feeding on public transport, in all workplaces and offices and state and federal parliaments.
Law firm Slater and Gordon said it was illegal to discriminate against a person on the grounds of breastfeeding in Australia – although in reality “many women are reluctant to make a fuss to exercise their rights”.
Lawyer Vicky Antzoulatos said obligations on workplaces to facilitate breastfeeding were still unclear so “some mothers find themselves expressing in their cars for want of an appropriate and private space, while others find it difficult to juggle scheduled breaks”.
Employers can face penalties or orders to pay compensation if they breach laws protecting the rights of breastfeeding mothers, she said.
A fifth of mothers who experienced discrimination upon returning to work were dealing with issues relating to breastfeeding, according to a national Human Rights Commission survey.
Despite past controversies, Slater and Gordon said the legal rights of a mother to breastfeed in Australia extended to:
1.All workplaces and offices, including during meetings
2.Churches
3.Pubs and clubs
4.Public transport and airports, including while boarding a plane as long as it’s safe
5.State and federal parliaments
Mothers who believe they have been discriminated against on the grounds of breastfeeding should try to resolve the problem by telling their employer about their legal obligations, seek legal advice or lodge a complaint with their local anti-discrimination organisation, the law firm said.
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