Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The government is committed to some $731 million for Australia’s first comprehensive paid parental leave scheme from 1 January 2011—the first in this country’s history. Secondly, the scheme will cost approximately $260 million per annum and will not be imposed on business. Thirdly, the scheme will provide the primary carer with 18 weeks postnatal leave paid at the adult federal minimum wage, currently $543.78 per week, more than those opposite had ever proposed when they occupied the Treasury bench. This is a real commitment; it is not a Leader of the Opposition thought bubble which is plucked out of space on a Monday morning.

If those opposite were concerned about the question of paid parental leave, why is it that in their entire period of office Australia ended up as only one of two OECD countries not to have a comprehensive paid parental leave scheme? That is the legacy those opposite left Australians, that is the legacy those opposite left working families, and they now stand up here and pretend that this has been their concern all along. The Leader of the Opposition has been on the record a thousand times saying he never believed in it, then he changed, then he said he would bring it in but not tax people for it and now he is bringing it in and taxing people for it. Is it any wonder that people scratch their heads and wonder what will next come out of the mouth of the Leader of the Opposition as he simply makes one piece of policy up after another? The government’s commitment is real. It is $10,000 more than was offered by those opposite. The government stands by its policy.

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