Monday 10^th March 2008

Paid Maternity Leave

The Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, gave the following address in State Parliament concerning paid maternity leave:

“I wish to speak in support of the motion for paid maternity leave, which particularly states:

1. That this House notes:

(a) that since the introduction of a full year of paid maternity leave by the Australian Catholic University in 2001, Australian employers have increasingly provided paid maternity leave to employees as part of negotiated enterprise agreements, and

(b) that other employees have access to paid maternity leave through the traditional award system.

As other speakers have said, the underlying question behind maternity leave is who will pay. There is no doubt that it is a very important matter and that mothers—we know it can be fathers in some situations, but particularly mothers—need to be with a newborn baby for at least 12 months, and longer if possible. That is so important in the development of the baby and the bonding of the baby with the mother. I have no argument against the need for mothers, who are working when they fall pregnant, to have freedom of mind that they can have at least 12 months maternity leave, which many of them have now, but have paid leave.

This is the debate we are now moving into, particularly under the new Labor Government because it has asked the Productivity Commission to investigate paid maternity leave. It will be a year-long inquiry into whether all new parents should be entitled to paid maternity and paternity leave. The commission has been asked to examine ways in which the Federal Government can provide improved support to parents of newborn children. The Productivity Commission will evaluate the economic and social costs and benefits of paid maternity, paternity and parental leave. The inquiry will examine whether payments could be made to either the mother or the father of a newborn baby. The commission is to report by February next year. Obviously the commission will conduct meetings and forums to discover the views of the Australian public on this provision and also how it can be implemented”, said Rev Fred Nile.

“I have a copy of the paid maternity leave study prepared on behalf of the National Foundation for Australian Women in June 2007, which was conducted through Newspoll Market Research. A large number of people—I think 1,202—were asked whether they were in favour of paid maternity leave and 76.4 per cent were in favour and 17.4 per cent were against. In response to whether it should be funded by all Australian employers, 73.78 per cent were in favour and 18.5 per cent were against. In response to whether it should be funded by all Australian workers, only 56.28 per cent were in favour and 34.8 per cent were against. As to the question of funding being shared between Australian employers and workers, 71.4 per cent were in favour and 21.8 per cent were opposed. As to funding being shared between Australian employers, workers and the Federal Government, 77.7 per cent were in favour and 16.1 per cent were against.

There was obviously majority support for all of the options, but particularly the ones involving funding by Australian employers or employers and workers, and the highest result was in favour of funding being shared between Australian employers, workers and the Federal Government. That may be the way to go in due course, particularly to avoid heavy economic pressure on small business, which would find it difficult if not impossible to provide 12 months paid maternity leave to an employee.

Another issue that is raised is that, if it is not introduced carefully, you could have discrimination against female employees. An employer could be thinking that in the future he would be up for heavy expenditure, it is going to be the law, so the safest way to go is to not employ females, or certainly to keep the number as low as possible. That would be an unfortunate development and we would not want to see it occur.

Other speakers have made comparisons with other countries. From some of the information I have acquired, apparently the most generous country is Sweden where all working parents are entitled to 18 months paid leave per child, the cost being shared between the employer and State. To encourage greater paternal involvement in child-rearing, a minimum of three months of the 18 months is required to be used by the minority parent, in practice usually the father, and some Swedish political parties on the left argue for legislation to oblige families to divide the 18 months equally between both parents. I am in favour of mothers benefiting from the majority of any paid maternity leave. In fact, in every situation I believe that mothers have the right to make decisions. It would not be right for overbearing husbands to stay at home, mind the children and expect their wives to go back to work. Mothers must have the right to make decisions and they should not lose their independence.

Norway has similar generous maternity leave provisions. In Estonia mothers are entitled to 18 months paid leave, which commences up to 70 days before a child's due date. The maternal leave system in Bulgaria is even more generous, providing mothers with 45 days of 100 per cent paid sick leave prior to a child's due date, two years paid leave, and one additional year of unpaid leave. A large number of systems are in operation around the world. In Canada parental leave was greatly expanded from 10 weeks to 35 weeks. Other members have referred to the system in the United Kingdom, where all female employees are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave. Australia and the United States of America, which are in agreement on this and on many other issues, are the only countries that do not have paid maternity leave. I thank the Hon. Lynda Voltz for moving this motion”, Rev Nile stated.