Petition Update

This is the latest update - The Ministers have until 25th January 2026 to respond

Dear Petitioner,

This is to provide you with an update on your petition.

Petition number:

EN7449 (Please quote in future correspondence)

Date submitted:

02/05/2025

Number of signatures:

6154

Terms:

• Reason: Stillbirth remains a major public health issue in Australia, affecting over 2,000 families annually. Despite medical advancements, awareness and education remain insufficient, leading to preventable tragedies. The emotional and economic burden on families, healthcare systems, and the workforce is substantial. A dedicated national awareness campaign would improve education, provide essential resources, and ultimately reduce stillbirth rates by an estimated 20%, saving over 400 lives per year and millions of dollars in healthcare and lost productivity costs. Government funding is urgently needed to drive this initiative and create lasting change.

• Request: We therefore ask the House to allocate dedicated funding for a national stillbirth awareness campaign to reduce preventable stillbirths by increasing education, improving healthcare interventions, and supporting research-driven solutions. This initiative will save lives, lessen the emotional burden on families, and reduce the economic impact on the healthcare system—preventing an estimated 400 stillbirths annually and saving millions in healthcare costs. Government action is crucial to ensuring meaningful, lasting change.

The petition was considered by the Petitions Committee and certified as meeting the requirements for petitions. It was presented to the House on 27 October 2025 and has been referred to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Under the petition requirements, Ministers are asked to respond to a referred petition within 90 days.

The petition details can be found on the Parliament’s website at: https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN7449

Thank you for your interest and involvement in petitioning the House of Representatives.

Yours sincerely

Secretariat
Petitions Committee