A ‘Baby Safe Haven’ May Have Saved Shoebox Infant’s LIfe
Yet another grim story in the newspaper today about the finding of a tiny newborn baby girl near Sydney’s Strathfield Station, dead where she lay hidden by her mother, a story becoming all too familiar to readers in our state. This time the little body was found in a shoebox, with her umbilical cord still attached.
What is so heart-wrenching in all of these cases is that there is simply no need for such suffering and such waste of precious human life. Many other jurisdictions have established what are called Baby Safe Havens and these effectively save the lives of many babies every year. There are many married couples eager to adopt and care for such children, there is no reason for babies to be condemned to death by frightened mothers.
As Leader of the Family First Party NSW, I believe that Baby Safe Havens are desperately needed in New South Wales, and will introduce legislation into the next session of parliament. One would have hoped that in our more enlightened and compassionate age the problem of abandoned babies or actual infanticide would have been long past. After all, women have supposedly been in control of their fertility since the advent of effective birth control in the 1960’s. However, the sad evidence continues to prove that in some cases women are simply unprepared emotionally, financially, or otherwise for the responsibilities of unplanned motherhood. Baby Safe Havens would allow such women to relinquish unwanted newborns with immunity from prosecution. This would mean fewer abandoned babies, living or dead.
State governments in the USA have introduced Acts that have allowed either parent to legally surrender newborn infants (up to 7 days old) to a hospital, police station, fire station or other designated public facility without facing any criminal prosecution. Some additionally allow such relinquishments for babies 3 days old or younger at some churches, ambulances, and adoption agencies. These laws have been effectively saving the lives of infants in those states, and we need similar legislation enacted in New South Wales with the details to be worked out with the appropriate agencies.
But, as in the US versions, if either of the parents was available they would be thanked for bringing the infant to a safe place then asked if they could provide any information that would assist in planning for the future care of the child, but only voluntarily. None of this would be required, however, as that could present a hurdle that could endanger the baby’s life if anonymity is preferred.
I believe that society must act to save the lives of babies, and that such Baby Safe Haven legislation would be compassionate to parents and newborns alike, and help solve a serious problem faced by society.
Rev The Hon Dr Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.