By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Weary but elated, Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams can count on extra family support in her bid for re-election.
Her newly-arrived baby Ruairí, who is the fairy-tale ending after five years of IVF, is set to join the hustings in his ‘Vote 1 Mum’ onesie.
The party’s slogan for Ms Williams – ‘Delivering for Dandenong’ – has some special meaning.
Ms Williams has described her IVF journey as a “roller-coaster of hope and despair”.
Ruairí was her “last shot” – as a result of an anonymous sperm donor.
On announcing Ruairí’s arrival, Ms Williams posted: “Four kilograms of perfection, and so much love my heart is fit to burst“.
“He’s been a dream. He’s healthy and well. I couldn’t be happier despite the exhaustion.
“I look forward to telling him the journey.”
The timing on the eve of the November state election was “interesting”, she says.
Her campaign is being run from home, while she changes, feeds and tends to Ruairí, sneaks in naps and recovers from a Caesarian section.
She intends to rejoin the hustings next month.
“It’s one foot in front of the other. We did a lot of work setting up the campaign in the lead-up to the birth.
“We haven’t stopped our campaign work and continue to advocate on the important subjects.”
Over years of publicly telling her IVF story, Ms Williams played a role in reforming fertility care in Victoria following the Gordon review.
She describes the launch of an accessible, public IVF service as “one of the most important things our Government will do”.
“Many couples and individuals had to make the call that it was something they could not afford. It never sat comfortably with me that it was for only those with a certain earning capacity.
“Fertility should not just be available to the wealthy.”
The Government also changed donor consent laws – meaning donors could no longer withdraw consent for their eggs or sperm even after embryos were created.
In the past, embryos on ice would then have to be destroyed.
“I think quite rightly it becomes the material of the IVF consumer.
“It was always a great fear for me.
“For anyone in my situation that’s devastating after what you’ve gone through, the costs … and often that’s the last shot.”
