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Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Page: 1213

Paid Parental Leave

Senator CROSSIN (Northern Territory) (14:06): My question is to Senator Evans, the Minister representing the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the federal government is delivering for working parents through Australia's first paid parental scheme.

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:07): I thank Senator Crossin for her question and acknowledge her campaigns for paid parental leave for Australian women and men throughout her time in politics. This government is very proud that we have delivered real reform for working Australians, especially with the paid parental leave scheme. The government's scheme is just one example of the important reforms we are making to support families.

I am pleased to inform the Senate today that since being introduced in January 2011 the paid parental leave scheme has received more than 140,000 applications from Australian families. As a result of Labor's reforms, families now have the opportunity to take the time they need to welcome and support a new child into their family. They no longer have to worry about their job security when they take a decent period of parental leave. I am also pleased to announce that 82,000 parents have already received the parental leave entitlement in full. These Labor reforms have provided essential financial security to people during one of the most important times of their lives. The scheme is also good for business in that it is based on recommendations by the Productivity Commission that said the scheme would not only support the health outcomes of children and mothers but also, as part of the arrangements we have put in place, encourage people back into work and training.

We have had large numbers of businesses registering for the scheme and we have had a successful operation of the scheme. This is delivering for families the sort of support they need. It is delivered through sustainable funding from this government. It is designed in a way that allows it to be affordable to the federal budget without putting an unfair burden on businesses. This is a responsible, balanced scheme delivered by this government after 11 years of neglect by the Howard government. (Time expired)

Senator CROSSIN (Northern Territory) (14:09): Mr President, I have a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches to paid parental leave in this country?

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:09): I understand the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Abbott, had a thought bubble a few months back when he thought up a Liberal Party policy without consulting his shadow cabinet. It has generally been regarded as 'the millionaire mums scheme' because it is so generous to very-high-income earners. I understand now that his own backbenchers have described it as a 'Rolls Royce scheme', including Senator Boyce. They understand that the scheme can be funded only by putting an extra 1.7 per cent tax on employers.

So, the scheme will deliver most to the rich families, most of those on very high incomes, but business will pay a new tax in order to fund it. Quite frankly, it is again a sign of very muddled thinking by the opposition. (Time expired)

Senator CROSSIN (Northern Territory) (14:10): I have a further supplementary question, Mr President. Is the minister aware of any threats to the paid parental leave scheme or in fact to the government's other important policies that benefit Australians, keep them in work and benefit families?

Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:10): The opposition have got themselves into such a mess that, if they were to be elected, they would have no alternative other than to slash education, slash health and slash aged-care spending. They have promised the wealthy that they will support a parental leave scheme that supports the most wealthy; they have promised that they will support the most wealthy with a private health insurance rebate; they have promised the big miners that they will support them by ending the resource rent tax; they have also promised that they will tax small business more by removing the concessions that we are about to put in place; they promised Australian workers that they will take away the extra super that we will provide; they promised that they have a totally unsustainable set of priorities that have a $70 billion black hole, that seeks to reward the most wealthy in our community while looking to cut health and education services to ordinary Australians, because they will have to find $70 billion. (Time expired)