An incarcerated Indigenous woman, who recently gave birth to a premature baby via caesarean section at a Queensland hospital, was reportedly kept in shackles during her recovery. According to Debbie Kilroy, CEO of the advocacy group Sisters Inside, the woman was restrained on and off throughout her hospital stay. Hospital staff reportedly contacted the advocacy group regarding the situation.

The incident has drawn significant attention because it took place just days after both the Labor and Coalition parties blocked a legislative bill that sought to ban the practice of shackling incarcerated women during childbirth. Critics of the current policy, including Sisters Inside, have described the practice as barbaric and inhumane, particularly when applied to women in labor or recovering from surgery. While the report highlights the physical restraints used on the patient, the government and the specific hospital involved have not yet provided a public response or confirmed the details of the security protocols applied to this specific inmate. The timing of the event has reignited a debate regarding the treatment of incarcerated women in the Australian justice system and the balance between security requirements and human rights.