#ausvotes

Greens Paid Parental Leave Policy

• Summary

  The Greens scheme appears to address the plight of women seeking to have children succinctly, but fails to include contingencies for men to take over the role of caregiver for a newborn. Still, the Greens advocate a 26 week scheme that is paid at the National Minimum Wage (approx. $570pwk) along with superannuation. Self employed are also eligible. The Greens have costed their scheme at $740m, a liability to be assumed by the government not business.

  
  

  More

  As expected of the Greens, they support the minority class of women who are unfairly discriminated against when they decide to leave the workforce in order to raise a family. The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum of 6 months leave from work for new mothers, and the Greens advocate no less a period of Paid Parental Leave.

  
  

  The Greens do not want any mother discriminated against, and so want a guarantee of a job when they return to the workforce. Further, as women are considerably undercapitalised in their superannuation savings when compared to men, in order to prevent even more injustice the Greens support full superannuation benefits to continue throughout paid maternity leave.

  
  

  With 26 weeks Paid Parental Leave with superannuation benefits, the Greens find it equitable to all parties concerned to not only have the Federal government pay for the scheme, but to maintain the rate of pay at the minimum wage. In this fashion, while business won’t be able to terminated existing parental leave arrangements, they will not have to bear the financial burden of a Paid Parental Leave scheme. Self employed individuals will also be eligible to benefit from the scheme.

  
  

  The Greens understand that this scheme will incur a cost of $740m which is substantially above the cost of other models, but unlike the cheaper alternatives, are pleased that it includes superannuation. In their view this scheme is a worthy investment in the formative years of a child’s life, restores the inequity suffered by women wanting to raise a family, and will reap numerous social benefits into the future.