SUBMISSION TO SENATE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE INQUIRY INTO EXPOSURE DRAFT PPL BILL

On 18 March 2010 the Senate referred the release of the exposure draft of legislation relating to the implementation of the Government’s proposed Paid Parental Leave scheme to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 3 June 2010.

Introduction

The NFAW has been engaged with this issue for a considerable time, including working to generate support for a Productivity Commission inquiry, before the election of the current Government and conducting community consultations on the Commission’s Report to Government prior to the Cabinet decision to proceed with the introduction of a national scheme.

Government Proposal In terms of the capacity of families to achieve work-life balance and economic security this legislation ranks in significance with the introduction of Child Endowment in 1941 and the Harvester Judgement of 1907. In its recognition of the importance to the infant and society of optimising opportunity for child-parent bonding and the significance of the early months for the development of the infant brain, the policy can be compared to the 1939 introduction of the Lady Gowrie Child Centres, the Commonwealth’s first step in providing financial support for early childhood social, health and educational services.

From first steps, major developments flow over time. The difference between the first Child Endowment payment to today’s edifice of cash benefits and tax transfers to support families with the cost of children is vast.

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