Bill returned from the Senate with amendments.

Ordered that the amendments be considered immediately.

Senate’s amendments—

(1)    Page 2 (after line 10), after Division 1, insert:

Division 1A—Object of this Act

3A Object of this Act

        (1)    The object of this Act is to provide financial support to primary carers (mainly birth mothers) of newborn and newly adopted children, in order to:

             (a)    allow those carers to take time off work to care for the child after the child’s birth or adoption; and

             (b)    enhance the health and development of birth mothers and children; and

             (c)    encourage women to continue to participate in the workforce; and

             (d)    promote equality between men and women, and the balance between work and family life.

        (2)    Generally, the financial support is provided only to primary carers who have a regular connection to the workforce.

        (3)    The financial support provided by this Act is intended to complement and supplement existing entitlements to paid or unpaid leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.

(2)    Clause 63, page 62 (lines 3 to 8), omit subclauses (1) and (2), substitute:

        (1)    Parental leave pay must be paid to a person by the Secretary in instalments.

(3)    Clause 64, page 62 (line 16) to page 63 (line 18), omit the clause, substitute:

64 A person’s instalment period and the payday for an instalment

        (1)    A person’s instalment period is the period of 14 days starting on a day the Secretary considers appropriate for the person (or a class of person in which the person is included) and each successive 14 day period.

Note:   Sections 93 and 94 affect when an instalment period for a person starts and ends in certain circumstances.

        (2)    The payday for the instalment is a day that the Secretary considers appropriate that occurs after the instalment period to which the instalment relates.

(4)    Clause 67, page 64 (line 22), omit “An employer or the Secretary”, substitute “The Secretary”.

(5)    Clause 67, page 64 (lines 26 to 31), omit the note.

(6)    Clause 68, page 65 (line 13), omit “An employer or the Secretary”, substitute “The Secretary”.

(7)    Clause 69, page 65 (lines 18 to 21), omit subclause (1).

(8)    Clause 69, page 65 (line 22), omit “(2)”.

(9)    Clause 70, page 66 (lines 5 and 6), omit subclause (2) and the note.

(10)  Part 3-2, page 67 (line 1) to page 75 (line 9), omit the Part.

(11)  Clause 83, page 76 (lines 3 to 16), omit the clause, substitute:

83 Guide to this Part

(12)  Clause 84, page 77 (line 2) to page 78 (line 28), omit the clause, substitute:

84 When the Secretary pays instalments

                 The Secretary must pay an instalment that is payable to a person on the payday for the instalment.

(13)  Clauses 85 and 86, page 78 (line 27) to page 80 (line 12), omit the clauses.

(14)  Clauses 93 and 94, page 84 (line 1) to page 85 (line 1), omit the clauses.

(15)  Page 86 (after line 29), at the end of Division 2, add:

99A Payment of paid parental leave does not affect other employer obligations

                 An obligation of an employer to pay a person parental leave pay under this Act is in addition to any other obligation the employer may have in relation to the person, however that other obligation might arise (including, for example, under another law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory, or an industrial instrument (however described)).

(16)  Part 3-5, page 87 (line 1) to page 101 (line 8), omit the Part.

(17)  Clause 117, page 103 (lines 15 and 16), omit paragraph (c).

(18)  Clause 117, page 103 (line 19), omit “;”, substitute “.”.

(19)  Clause 117, page 103 (lines 20 to 25), omit paragraphs (e) to (g).

(20)  Heading to clause 133, page 112 (lines 3 and 4), omit “or PPL funding amount”.

(21)  Clause 133, page 112 (lines 8 to 15), omit paragraph(1)(b), substitute:

             (b)    order the person to pay the Commonwealth an amount equal to any amount paid to, or in relation to, the person by way of an instalment of parental leave pay because of the act, failure or omission that constituted the offence.

(22)  Clause 138, page 113 (lines 21 and 22), omit “or a PPL funding amount”.

(23)  Page 236 (after line 20), after clause 307, insert:

307A Review of the operation of this Act

        (1)    The Minister must cause a comprehensive review of the general operation of this Act to be begun by 31 January 2013.

        (2)    The review must consider the following matters:

             (a)    the amount of time off work that primary carers are taking to care for newborn or newly adopted children;

             (b)    the availability and amount of leave and payments provided by employers in relation to the birth or adoption of a child, and the interaction of those entitlements with parental leave pay provided under this Act;

             (c)    the operation of the work test;

             (d)    whether primary claimants’ partners should be paid parental leave pay separately from, or in addition to, primary claimants;

             (e)    whether employers should make superannuation contributions in relation to parental leave pay;

              (f)    the results of any evaluations conducted in relation to the operation of this Act;

             (g)    the administration of this Act;

             (h)    any other matter relevant to the general operation of this Act.

        (3)    The Minister must ensure that public submissions are sought in relation to the review.

        (4)    The Minister must cause a copy of a written report of the review to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of the day on which the Minister receives the report.

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