Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I'm getting there. This idea that it's good to rush parents back into the workforce isn't always the view expressed by all parents. Many do want to go back to work eventually, but not until later in their children's life. I'm committed to giving parents as much choice as possible as to when they go back to work. This is why the focus shouldn't be on getting parents back into the workforce but on making it financially easier for parents to have greater choice as to how they raise their children. So, if parents want to stay home longer, they can. But most of all it should be about the welfare of the children. It's important that our children don't get left behind in today's rat-race—not that Labor care about the welfare of the child; we know that because there's nothing in this MPI that mentions the welfare of the child. Not once today have I heard any Labor speaker mention the welfare of the child. They're just interested in subsidies so they can deduct union fees from them. All they care about is collecting money to fund their re-election campaigns.

I was pleased to give a speech this morning on the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Flexibility Measures) Bill 2020, which would give mothers more choice about going back to work. I was shocked to be heckled by Senator Watt about such an important issue. Can you believe this? He was mocking me for speaking on a bill that was going to help mothers stay home with their children for longer. Women go through a lot to bring our children into the world: nine months of pregnancy, followed by childbirth and breastfeeding. It takes a huge toll and some women aren't always physically or emotionally ready to go straight back to work, especially if there is more than one child to look after—not that Labor would care about the welfare of the mother; they just want to clip the ticket.

You would think that being a member of the Queensland Labor Party, a party that has closed down over 30 maternity wards in regional Queensland, Senator Watt would show mothers a bit more respect. Do you know why it's so important that children stay at home with their parents? Because no-one can give their children the self-belief they so desperately need like their own mum and dad. As I said in my first speech, there is no substitute for mum and dad. And, of course, we must teach them respect, because, can I tell you, Labor and their left wing institutions won't.

You've only got to look at Twitter to see how the Left think. It's characterised by hatred, blaming, self-loathing, virtue-signalling and, of course, the modern day equivalent of bullying: the pile-on. There is no respect whatsoever. It is pure 1920s communism. Let me tell you that Lenin's useful idiots are not the role model that the Australian people want for their children. They want them to be strong and independent, and the best way to achieve this is to ensure that mum and dad are allowed to make the right choices for their families.