An Australian politician has made headlines globally for being the first person to breastfeed their child while speaking in parliament.
Greens senator Larissa Waters moved a motion at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday regarding black lung disease - a condition affecting coal miners - while simultaneously breastfeeding her 14-week-old baby Alia Joy. Afterwards she tweeted "First time I've had to move a Senate motion while breastfeeding! And my partner in crime moved her own motion just before mine, bless her." Ms Waters later tweeted a screenshot of a text message she received anonymously, which said she would be "remembered in politics as the dumb B**** with the big tits with an ego that was five feet in front of her brains." Ms Waters tweeted the screenshot with the word, "Lol".
While her parliament colleagues appeared supportive of Ms Waters’ decision to feed her child while speaking on the motion, publicly it has been met with mixed reaction.
She is at work, presumably working for the country. Breast feed at home or outside of work.
— Hamaan13 (@hamaan23) June 23, 2017
Total disrespect for the Federal Parliament by the greens! Show some respect!
— Andrew M (@melbournian_man) June 23, 2017
Ridiculous political tokenism and moral posturing, i.e. typical Greens senate circus. What's next a senate address whilst eating a sandwich?
— Matthew Robinson (@mrobinson_adl) June 23, 2017
Well done that lady!!! ❤️ Larissa Waters Breastfeeds While Moving Senate Motion In Another First https://t.co/hMMjkvdwh4
— T. Wallace (@TammyWallace2) June 23, 2017
Amazing: senator Larissa Waters breastfeeds as she speaks in chamber pic.twitter.com/8Vy1V7tIuY
— Louis Emanuel (@louisjemanuel) June 23, 2017
Good on you Larissa Waters! #TheDrum
— Carolyn Meacham (@caro_oco) June 23, 2017
Keep doing what you are doing @larissawaters - challenge stereotypes and leading by example. Change is rarely comfortable - I'm proud of you
— Chris Wells (@mincle) June 22, 2017
Lol "Regards" pic.twitter.com/2znTs1etvQ
— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) June 22, 2017
I think this is what ppl mean when they talk abt a flexible boss. @RichardDiNatale with @larissawaters new staffer. @ellinghausen pic. pic.twitter.com/e5mrMT5p1p
— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) June 22, 2017
First time I've had to move a Senate motion while breastfeeding! And my partner in crime moved her own motion just before mine, bless her
— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) June 22, 2017
In Ireland, women who work are entitled to take off one paid hour a day to breastfeed. The time can be taken in one 60 minute sitting, two 30 minute breaks or three 20 minute breaks. It applies to all women in employment who have given birth in the previous six months.
Alia Joy previously made history just last month after she became the first baby to be breastfed in Australia’s parliament.
“I am so proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the Federal Parliament,” Ms Waters said in May.
"We need more women and parents in Parliament. And we need more family-friendly and flexible workplaces, and affordable childcare, for everyone."
Last year, Ms Waters instigated changes to the Australian Senate rules to allow new parents to briefly care for their infants on the floor of parliament. The country's House of Representatives has made similar changes.
It is not the fist time that the Australian Greens has made headlines in relation to childcare at the parliament. In 2009 Ms Waters’ colleague Sarah Hanson-Young made headlines when her two-year-old daughter Kora was taken from her arms and ejected from the Senate chamber.