Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

In summation, the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (COVID-19 Work Test) Bill 2021 introduces amendments aimed at supporting working parents who have had their work affected by the COVID-19 lockdowns across Australia to continue to access payments under the Paid Parental Leave scheme. The Paid Parental Leave scheme aims to provide financial support to parents of newborn children to allow them to take time off work after the birth to bond with the child and establish breastfeeding.

In order to be eligible, parents must meet a range of eligibility criteria including satisfying the requirements of the work test. This bill aims to allow parents to include a period in receipt of the COVID-19 disaster payment as qualifying work for the purpose of satisfying PPL work test requirements from 1 July 2021. Qualification for the CDP is dependent on losing income and work as a result of living or working in a Commonwealth declared COVID-19 hotspot, ensuring that this measure is targeted and can be accurately applied to those affected while also ensuring integrity. Parents in receipt of CDP will be able to count the period they are receiving the payment towards their work test for parental leave pay and dad and partner pay. These changes will ensure continued access to the Paid Parental Leave scheme for workers who had their employment affected by the impacts of a Commonwealth declared COVID-19 hotspot.

While expecting parents are forced to cease work due to local and state lockdowns, they may be unable to meet the paid parental leave work test despite the fact that they have had a long work history and would have met the work test if not for the impact of the lockdown on their ability to work. Under this measure, parents in this situation would still be required to meet the same work test requirements as all other parents, but periods in receipt of CDP will count as qualifying work. Currently, qualifying work includes a period of paid work, a period of paid leave and a period in receipt of JobKeeper payment. This bill helps to ensure that more parents, particularly women, can be supported to take time off work after the birth of their child through their demonstrated attachment to the workforce.

See this speech in context