Support Paid Parental LeaveSign The ANMF (SA Branch) Petition
This petition will be delivered to ALL South Australian Senators.
Request:We are calling on all SA Senators to not support the proposed changes to paid parental leave in the Senate, and to challenge the Coalition to honour its 2013 commitment to provide a minimum of six months Paid Parental Leave.
Background:In August 2013, the Coalition released its policy for Paid Parental Leave with a promise that it would deliver a genuine scheme to give mothers six months’ leave based on their actual wage. This was to enable women to take time out of the workforce to establish a family while reducing financial pressures. Following election to Government, the Coalition revised this policy and withdrew the 26 week paid parental leave, committing only to the 18 week scheme already in place. An additional revision was then announced seeking to withdraw access to both employer funded and government funded Paid Parental Leave.
In relation to parental leave schemes it is generally accepted that they:
enhance the health of babies and mothers, and the development of children, by enabling working mothers to spend longer at home with their newborn children;
facilitate women’s labour force participation; and
encourage gender equity and improve the balance of family and work life in Australian families.
Currently members and South Australian families can access both the employer funded and government scheme, giving them the opportunity to take up to 36 weeks off (and in some instances more) in Paid Parental Leave.
This in line with the Work Health Organisation (WHO’s) recommendation that “Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond”, and was the rationale behind the Abbott Governments initial promise to families..
Paid parental leave also promotes employment continuity and workplace retention (thus helping to preserve job and employer specific skills that would be reduced if parents were to resign or move to another employer) and reduces training costs for employers.
South Australian families will be set to lose a substantial amount in paid leave entitlements. This will vary depending on the classification and employment arrangements of each employee, but in every case there will be a loss of income. Employers are also not required to make superannuation contributions in respect of the commonwealth paid parental leave scheme, which constitutes an additional financial penalty borne by working mothers and has a detrimental impact on equity in the workplace.
We are seeking the assurance of all SA Senators that they will not support the proposed changes in the Senate, and to challenge the Coalition to honour its 2013 commitment to provide 26 weeks paid parental leave.
We therefore call on all South Australian Senators to:
Not support the proposed legislation changes to Paid Parental Leave; and
Lobby the Government to uphold its commitment to support a full paid minimum SIX month Paid Parental Scheme.
This will give and ensure that every new family will be afforded the best possible start in life.
Authorised by Adj Assoc Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM, CEO/Secretary ANMF (SA Branch)
