baby steps …to paid parental leave
posted Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 10:22 am
- first steps towards universal parental leave in Australia
It seems, that under the direction of the current Labor government, and with extensive consultation with key interest groups the Productivity Commission has produced the much anticipated draft for Paid Parental Leave: Support for Parents with Newborn Children. Get out the video camera, it seems that finally we are taking our first baby steps towards universal, statutory, paid parental leave…hip hip hurray! I say baby steps, because in comparison to countries including the UK, and Scandinavian countries which offer longer, better paid and broader support for parental leave, we have a long way to go. But baby steps, can lead to bigger steps, and at least we’re starting to walk in the right direction…
Ok, let’s look at what we’re getting. For the primary carer, 18 weeks leave paid at minimum wage ($543.78) and 2 weeks leave (use it or loose it) for partnering parent (same sex couples not discriminated against here). To be eligible, the impending parent must have worked for 12 months, continuously – but not necessarily in the same job, for at least 10 hours per week. (Fine print in the draft – justified this as a means to support ‘parents with a genuine attachment to the labour force, rather than those with precarious links’ (sect 2.15). For parents, not engaged in the paid workforce, a maternity allowance (no longer called the baby bonus) of approx $5000 would still apply. And yes, for working parents lucky enough to already have maternity/paternity leave attached to their job description, it is possible to tack this, and other leave on, in order to extend it to that elusive goal of 6 months or more, that is recommended by the Breastfeeding Association.
Eva Cox notes here, that this landmark decision to bring in a statutory parental leave scheme, is a feminist gain because it is the first time the government has formally recognised that many parents, including mothers, undertake paid work and care. As Eva, so eloquently says:
The real strength of this proposal is its financial formal recognition of the intersection of the public and private spheres by making caring for babies a workplace issue. This type of change opens up many new areas for discussion of the appropriate levels of time and resources spent in our various roles. Finally, the dominance of workplaces and identities can be challenged and tempered with a more human/social interactions.
In terms of WoLFi, I think it’s a good start. I would like to see dads getting more paid leave to encourage them to become more involved in the care of their children. I do believe there is some room for exchanging leave between partners, under certain conditions. What’s your take on this on this proposal? Are we taking giant steps or baby steps in your opinion. What would you like to see added or changed?
[...] TaLEs gives a good summary of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations in baby steps to paid parental leave. Blue Milk is happy that the government seems positive in Bite the bullet. Mia Freedman asks [...]
It’s Carnival Time! « Penguin unearthed said this on November 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Natasha Stott-Despoja talks about ONE MORE PUSH for paid maternity leave, and I think she is right – women have a bit more work to do before the government accepts the Productivity Commission’s recommendations. . Thanks for your comment supporting the National Foundation for Australian Women on this issue (see http://www.nfaw.org/Work-and-family-data/). Jenni
JenniC said this on November 13th, 2008 at 3:45 pm