Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

I was hoping a quorum would have been called as a common courtesy. These amendments are similar to the amendments Family First put to this chamber. This is all about making sure that small businesses and businesses are not inconvenienced. The Family Assistance Office is already involved in handling paid parental leave payments for people who have worked fewer than 12 months in one business. They are already handling it, they are already taking care of it, and they are already doing this sort of stuff, so why would you duplicate and have another set of people worrying about how to make these payments? The Family Assistance Office is already going to have to do it for some. I think it is unnecessary red tape that will be placed on businesses, especially small businesses. These amendments obviously make sense and, seeing as they are Family First amendments, and the opposition’s ones are similar to ours, I am hoping common sense prevails. These amendments make sure that the Family Assistance Office is doing the hard work and not leaving the burden and red tape to small businesses. I think it is an impost that we can certainly do without placing on them. The Family Assistance Office is the right place for it to take place in.