media release

Australia should follow the lead of Canada and implement Baby Safe Havens to save the lives of unwanted and abandoned babies Senator Polley, Labor Senator of Tasmania said today.

 

“Vancouver has recently launched a newborn drop-off centre for mothers to leave their unwanted babies anonymously and safely,” Senator Polley said.

 

The facility in Canada is set in a hospital where the baby can receive a medical assessment and can be cared and nurtured instead of being left on the street to die.

 

“Once the mother leaves, a buzzer sounds and the baby is collected – the mothers are never identified,” Senator Polley said.

 

“If Canada, along with other countries in the world such as those in Europe, i.e. Germany, the United States, South Africa and Japan has facilities to save unwanted and abandoned babies lives, why can’t Australia?” Senator Polley said.

 

Media reports suggest that on average 10 babies are abandoned every year, calling for the need for services and facilities such as Baby Safe Havens to save lives.

 

These Safe Havens can be implemented in places like hospitals and police stations to allow for a safe drop off place, where mothers can remain anonymous and not face prosecution.

 

The President of the Australian Medical Association has previously expressed his support for Baby Safe Havens, “it’s obviously very important that we as a community do everything that we can to assist mothers and obviously their babies who are in such a degree of distress that they’re thinking of abandoning their baby,” (ABC News, 20/03/2010).

 

“It is time that Australia recognised other efforts around the world to save the lives of unwanted babies and it is about time that Australia implemented facilities to do the same,” Senator Polley said