John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Several months ago I held a childcare forum in my Bennelong electorate office, inviting local parents as well as workers and operators of local childcare centres to discuss their firsthand experiences. Following this I have also been engaging with local parents at various street stalls and listening posts and doorknocking around Bennelong. Across these conversations there has been consistent feedback that we currently have a one-size-fits-all childcare system that is inflexible to the changing nature of family working patterns.

In response to this the coalition has pledged to hold a Productivity Commission inquiry into child care, with the Leader of the Opposition recently releasing the terms of reference, which include greater access to in-home care and the option of tax deductibility. Few in this place could argue that our parents do not deserve a more flexible, more accessible and more affordable mix of childcare options. Through this inquiry a future coalition government will turn constituent feedback and expert advice into national policy.

As a father of three, I know all too well that a more responsive childcare system would have been of great assistance to our family. Of course, in most families it is particularly the mothers who suffer the greatest impact when child care is scarce, inflexible and expensive. A flexible system will provide women with more power and choice in their career decisions and make it easier for them to work how and when they want. This will be complemented by a generous system of paid parental leave.

Australia is well behind the rest of the world on this issue. There are 38 countries that have a paid parental leave scheme, 36 of them basing parental leave payments on the salary that the individual mother actually earns—but not in Australia. Instead the Gillard government has cobbled together a rebadged baby bonus scheme, which is basically a welfare payment offering new mothers the minimum wage.

The coalition recognises that increasing female participation in the economy is a certain way to boost national productivity, which is a significant key to a stronger economy. A coalition government will better support women to juggle work and family commitments by providing a scheme where Australian women enjoy paid parental leave based on what they actually earn, just the same as when you take sick leave or annual leave. Most modern families need two incomes to pay the rent or the mortgage and to keep their heads above water financially. Australia needs a fair, simple and flexible parental leave system that expresses our values for family life. To all the families in Bennelong, I pledge that this is exactly what you will receive from a future coalition government.