BREASTMILK BANK

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about the possibility of establishing a breastmilk bank in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Whilst this crosses over with the health portfolio, I direct it to the minister in our chamber seeking her view. South Australia is the only mainland state that does not have a breastmilk bank to benefit breastfeeding mothers who are not able to produce sufficient breastmilk to feed their own newborn baby. In 2007, the Best Start report into breastfeeding recommended to the federal parliament that the feasibility of a network of milk banks be investigated. The deputy chair of the committee, the federal member for Hindmarsh, Steve Georganas, later expressed disappointment that the issue had stalled. More recently, in September of last year, the then minister for health and ageing, Hon. John Hill, said that he was happy to explore the issue if there was demand.

Milk banks allow mothers with excess milk to have this collected, pasteurised and used by others. There are sufficient health benefits, particularly to preterm babies, and they are well documented. The alternative of formula milk does not have the natural antibodies to ward off disease and can lead to an increase in such things as allergies and diabetes.

Informal sharing of breastmilk arrangements can lead to contamination from prescription or non-prescription drugs or from poor hygiene in some cases in the collection and storage of the milk. It has been estimated that the cost of establishing a milk bank is in the order of $200,000 and that the annual running costs are in the order of $150,000. My question to the minister is: does the government have any plans to establish a breastmilk bank in South Australia, and if not why not?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Indeed, breastfeeding infants is not only a very important health issue it is also a very important social issue as well. It potentially has enormous positive effects in terms of maternal bonding as well. It is certainly something that I have always promoted, both as a member of parliament and also as a former healthcare professional. I very much appreciate the very important value that breastfeeding plays.

Obviously, the issue of resourcing a milk bank facility, or network, is a matter for the health minister. I can recall some time ago there was consideration around this topic. I am not aware of how far those considerations went, but I would be very pleased to refer the question to the Minister for Health in another place and get a report back to see how far that has eventuated.