11 May 2009
After 30 years, PML finally in: a great first step
Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, has applauded the federal government’s announcement that funding for paid parental leave will be included in Tuesday’s budget, with a commencement date of 1 January 2011.
Commissioner Broderick said this was a great first step and emphasized the importance of effective awareness and education campaigns aimed at both employees and employers in the lead up to the commencement date.
“The implementation of a paid parental leave scheme in Australia is a major triumph for not only mothers and parents, but for our community,” said Commissioner Broderick. “Not only does it send a strong message that women matter in Australian workplaces, but it is a critical piece of social infrastructure that will help deliver stronger economic outcomes for families, businesses, the economy and our community as a whole.”
Commissioner Broderick said it was significant that the government had seen fit to implement a paid parental leave scheme despite the extremely challenging economic circumstances facing Australia at present.
“Implementation of a paid parental leave scheme in this budget says that the government recognises how imperative it is for the stability of our families and the success of our businesses that people who take time off to have a child – and lets face it, we are talking mostly women – have the surety of returning to their jobs after spending those critical first developmental and bonding months with their newborn,” Ms Broderick said.
The Commissioner said that the scheme would assist women to maintain skills and income by encouraging workplace attachment for workers who have historically been forced to downgrade in both areas when they have a child. It would also benefit businesses, and therefore the economy, through the preservation of corporate intelligence and skills.
“Leading up to the implementation date, we must see a commitment to building awareness and understanding of the scheme in our employers and employees, as failure in this area has cost paid parental schemes success in other countries,” Ms Broderick said. “It is also imperative that a continuous program of monitoring and evaluation forms part of the scheme so that its effectiveness can be optimised in the short to medium term and maintained over the long term.”
Ms Broderick emphasised that Paid Parental Leave is a workplace entitlement and should be available to all women, not just those earning less than $150,000.
Commissioner Broderick thanked the many organisations that had advocated so hard over the last three decades and particularly, in the lead-up to this budget. She said their tenacity was one of the main reasons we are now seeing implementation of a paid parental leave scheme.
The Commissioner said it was an historic day for women and parents in Australia.
Media contact: Brinsley Marlay 02 9284 9656 or 0430 366 529
