Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

Four per cent of families will no longer be eligible for government funded paid parental leave under the proposal. These families will already be in receipt of parental leave of 18 weeks or more from their employer. They are also more likely to be higher income earners, with the average income of the recipient being $69,000 per year. This is $26,000 more than the families who will be completely unaffected by the proposal of the government. It also does not reflect that this is the only income of the recipient as, obviously, family or household incomes can be higher.

The government does not consider it fair that a woman currently employed earning $140,000 annually, and with an entitlement of 12 weeks maternity leave paid by her employer at 100 per cent of her salary, would receive approximately $2,692 per week, which is $32,308 in total for the 12-week period, and still be entitled to the 18 weeks paid parental leave at around the national minimum wage.