Last year, the Senate resolved to recognise 15 October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in perpetuity. On the first Senate sitting day following this year’s Remembrance Day, I delivered a 2-minute statement to mark the occasion.

It is a day when we pay respect to the more than 100,000 babies lost to miscarriage, more than 2,000 lost to stillbirth and more than 600 lost to neonatal death in Australia every year, and their families.

I thank Senators Kristina Keneally, Jim Molan, Malarndirri McCarthy & Perin Davey for also marking the occasion with their own moving contributions.

Thank you also to Stillbirth Foundation Australia, Sands Australia and Pregnancy and Infant Loss Australia for everything they do to support families through these tragedies.