Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I suggest to the member for Murray that, rather than arguing across the table with me, she could continue that debate in her own party room, where I understand it has been raging with some considerable disagreement. The importance of a paid parental leave scheme is that it provides equity to all women who apply for it—that is exactly what the government’s scheme does. I was listening to the debate on the Paid Parental Leave Bill 2010 earlier in this place and I welcome the newfound enthusiasm of those opposite for a paid parental leave scheme. However, as they struggle within their own party room to find a scheme they can all agree on, one can only be thankful that they have finally realised in this modern age that it is something they should actually support.

I also take the opportunity to point out how important the report found the issue of superannuation and retirement incomes for women to be. Many women—

See this speech in context