Australian Senate to reject bill banning shackling of incarcerated women in childbirth

The Australian Senate is set to reject a bill introduced by Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe that would ban the shackling of incarcerated women during childbirth and strip-searching of children. The major parties argue this is a state responsibility, but Liberal Senator Paul Scarr has broken ranks to condemn the rejection. The outcome highlights a federal-state jurisdictional dispute and a rare cross-party dissent on a human rights issue.