The Government’s commitments to extend PPL to 26 weeks should be included in the Bill. As the overall length of PPL periods increase to 2026, fathers and partners should be actively encouraged to access the PPL provisions, through effective and targeted campaigns, and in particular by increasing the ‘use it or lose it’ period.
The National Foundation of Australian Women’s (NFAW) policy position on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) is set in the context of a productivity agenda to help boost economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paid Parental Leave (PPL) affects women and men in different ways; it is not gender neutral. This submission responds to the terms of reference through a gender lens. NFAW is a strong supporter of PPL, and was part of the coalition that promoted the policy prior to the Productivity Commission Report1 (Productivity Commission, 2009) that led to the introduction of PPL. In that report the Productivity Commission identified the following commonly agreed objectives.
NFAW has made a submission to the Senate committee inquiring into the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Flexibility Measures) Bill 2020. The submission highlights that Paid Parental Leave affects women and men in different ways; it is not gender neutral. The submission responds to the terms of reference through a gender lens.
Paid Parental Leave (PPL) affects women and men in different ways; it is not gender neutral. This submission responds to the terms of reference through a gender lens. NFAW is a strong supporter of PPL, and was part of the coalition that promoted the policy prior to the Productivity Commission Report1 (Productivity Commission, 2009) that led to the introduction of PPL. In that report the Productivity Commission identified the following commonly agreed objectives
While workplace agreements mean that some employees receive 26 weeks of paid leave, they are likely to be higher earning, professional or public sector employees
the failure to provide a superannuation contribution to PPL has a negative effect on women’s lifetime and retirement incomes, and there is a mismatch in eligibility for unpaid leave under the National Employment Standard (NES) and eligibility for PPL. Some mothers eligible for PPL aren’t eligible for unpaid leave because of their work history.
The Minister for Women has done a gallant job of extracting some money from the Government for women. However, $109 million over 4 years is roughly $26m a year. You cannot do much to increase women’s economic security on an investment of around $26m a year. You have to pad it out with old budget initiatives and do what you can on the cheap.
The PLP has been in operation for seven years. In view of the forthcoming election and the recent modest changes proposed by the ALP, NFAW believes it’s time for a comprehensive re-examination of the PLP.
The National Foundation for Australian Women deplores both the content and process of the Bill now before the Parliament. We urge the Parliament to reject the Bill.
