Jan Tinetti Labour MP

Often, one of the happiest moments in a person's life is when they find out they are going to be a parent.

One of the saddest is when the pregnancy ends with a miscarriage. One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, so it affects a lot of New Zealand women and their partners.

My Labour colleague Ginny Andersen's new Members Bill has been drawn from the ballot. Under the Bill, women who have a miscarriage at any stage in their pregnancy would be entitled to three days' bereavement leave.

The Bill also covers still births. This Bill is an acknowledgement of the importance of giving people time to grieve and to deal with not only their physical, but also their emotional pain.

Sands BOP, who I met with recently, are a wonderful local group who can offer support to parents during this hugely difficult time.

This weekend is the Women's Lifestyle Expo at the ASB Arena, and my colleague Angie Warren-Clark and I will be there. Look out for our stall.

This is a great opportunity for us to meet and chat with local women and to let you know of the great things this government is doing to help women and to advance women's issues.

Also please note we have had a change of date and time for our Elder Housing Meeting next week. It will now take place on Monday, August 27, at 11.30am at the Greerton Senior Citizens Hall on Maitland Street.