Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Aug 29, 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

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×