London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 09, 2025

Australian Judge Defends Removing Breastfeeding Mother From Court, Says...

Australian Judge Defends Removing Breastfeeding Mother From Court, Says...

The woman who was breastfeeding said that she felt traumatised by the ordeal. "I just felt totally humiliated and shamed, like I was doing something wrong," she said.
An Australian judge who has been criticised for ejecting a breastfeeding mother and her baby from his courtroom has explained his actions as "self-explanatory".

According to The Guardian, the woman was feeding her child while observing a trial in the Victorian County Court on Thursday when the judge addressed her directly, saying she was not permitted to breastfeed in court because it was a distraction. While the court declined to comment on the matter, the judge on Friday addressed the jury about the incident and stated that his comments were "self-explanatory".

"What I [told the mother] was this - 'Madam, you will not be permitted to breastfeed a baby in court. I'm sorry. I will have to ask you to leave. It will be a distraction for the jury at the very least," the judge said, as per the outlet.

"I am telling you this because it is something that has attracted some media publicity and I think you need to know exactly what it was that I said and why I said it. That said, it is not a matter that you should be giving any real consideration to going forward as it is irrelevant to your task," the judge added.

Now, the state's attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, is expected to discuss this matter with the courts. "These concerning reports are a matter for the county court," a spokesperson for the attorney general said, adding, "However, no woman deserves to be shamed and humiliated for public breastfeeding".

Speaking to Australian media outlet The Age, the woman who was breastfeeding said that she felt traumatised by the ordeal. "I just felt totally humiliated and shamed, like I was doing something wrong," she said.

The woman also stated that she asked the security guard before she walked in if it was ok to bring the baby inside the court. She said that she was humiliated when she was addressed in court publically. She expressed disappointment that the judge described breastfeeding as a "distraction".

As per The Guardian, the Australian minister for early childhood, Ingrid Stitt, was also asked about the incident at a press conference. "In 2023, it's extraordinary that this has happened at all. It's really disappointing," she said, adding, "The important message for Victorian women is that we support you and your right to be able to care for your children, and if that means you have to breastfeed in a public building, then that is something that should not only be tolerated but celebrated."

Notably, in Australia, pregnant and breastfeeding women are protected in areas of public life, including work, schools, universities, shops and rental properties, under Victoria's Equal Opportunity Act. However, it is unclear if these protections apply in court as courtroom rules are often left to the judge's discretion.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×