Parents at Work

It’s fair to say that even employers who offer great parental leave policies aren’t immune from instances of overt and covert caring discrimination.

To achieve paid-parental leave equality and see the benefits of parents better sharing care loads, it will take both the government, and employers, to seriously invest in funding, advocacy and education to shift the current status-quo.

To be clear, I believe in a fair, equitable and inclusive Australia for all. For me, that means supporting a Voice to Parliament as a pathway to help achieve this for First Nations People.  

Australia has a significant opportunity to modernise how we combine work and care. Now a landmark Senate report provides a roadmap on how to get there. 

After 12 years since its introduction, policymakers have the chance to reform Paid Parental Leave (PPL)  within its grasp to finally bring Australia’s scheme into line with the OECD average, but we need a greater sense of urgency.

Advocates for parents appeared before a Senate Committee Inquiry on Monday, urging the government to lift its ambition on paid parental leave.

The Albanese Government has been swift in communicating its intent to shift the dial by increasing the number of paid weeks offered, lifting the eligibility cap, making it more flexible and removing references to primary and secondary carer labels that encourage both parents to participate in taking the leave, but is it enough?  

Leaders across industries addressed the Work&Care Summit, hosted by Family Friendly Workplaces (FFW), to discuss how the businesses are rethinking care. 

The ACTU has identified reforming paid parental leave as a key strategy for halving the national gender pay gap and the workforce participation gap.