Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The work of the Productivity Commission was very important to the development of this initiative. It found that women on low incomes, particularly women in casual jobs such as retail and hospitality, had the lowest levels of access to paid parental leave. As part of its work, the Productivity Commission considered the economic productivity and social costs and benefits of providing paid maternity, paternity and parental leave. It also assessed the current extent of employer-provided paid leave.

The government recognised the need to balance the interests of business and working parents, particularly those on low incomes. We knew that this reform had been held off because of concerns about that balance, but our scheme strikes the right balance. It is fully costed and funded into the forward estimates, unlike some alternative thought-bubbles on the issue. The government’s scheme is fair to business, is fair for families and is closely modelled on the Productivity Commission’s final report. (Time expired)