Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters) Share this | Hansard source

I thank senators for their contributions to the debate. The Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Flexibility Measures) Bill 2020 introduces reforms aimed at better supporting working mothers and their families to access paid parental leave more flexibly to support choice about balancing work and family. Currently, parental leave pay can only be taken as a continuous 18-week block within the first 12 months after the birth or adoption of a child. From 1 July 2020, families will be able to split their paid parental leave into blocks of leave over a two-year period, allowing for periods of work in between.

Parents will be able to use an initial 12-week block of their entitlement anytime within the first 12 months after the birth or adoption of their child. This gives parents a period of recuperation and bonding in the months immediately following the birth or adoption. Parents will then be able to take their remaining entitlement of up to six weeks anytime before their child turns two years old and can return to work anytime during this time. This measure preserves the total of 18 weeks that is currently allowed, but offers much greater flexibility in how it is used. The changes will help thousands of new parents who currently need to return to work before they have used all of their paid parental leave. Instead of losing unused leave, these families will now have greater flexibility to take their leave at a time that suits the needs of their family.

The government recognises that not all self-employed women and small-business owners can afford to leave their businesses for 18 consecutive weeks. The increased flexibility will also make it easier for mothers who are eligible for paid parental leave to transfer the entitlement to eligible partners who take on the role of primary carer where it suits the family's circumstances. Importantly, this increased flexibility and ability to balance work and caring responsibilities may encourage greater uptake of leave by secondary carers, in turn contributing to changing social norms around sharing care and encouraging men to take parental leave. We know that not all families are the same, and this bill makes important improvements to the paid parental leave scheme that gives families more flexibility to balance work and caring responsibilities in a way that best suits their needs. I commend the bill to the Senate.