Paid Parental Leave is one of the more confusing but important issues on the political agenda, and looming cuts to the current scheme have been a continuous, niggling worry for many working Australians planning to have kids.
While less extreme than his predecessor Tony Abbott’s plan to tackle so-called “double dippers”, the proposal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull took to the last election threatened to cost some families more than $11,000 in crucial support.
Add to that the fact that 99 per cent of those who access the PPL scheme are mothers, any potential cuts would also unfairly impact of women.
But here’s some good news: it’s looking like they’re still doomed in the new Senate.
The Turnbull government's proposed PPL cuts looked doomed in the new Senate. Source: Facebook
In the lead up to the election Social Services Minister Christian Porter conceded the changes weren't going to make it through by July 2, giving expectant mums a brief reprieve.
While he vowed to keep pushing his reform agenda, it's likely he won't get far, which means the current scheme could remain intact for at least the next three years.
As many as 39 Senators in the new parliament have pledged to vote against the plan, according to a pre-election survey by community campaigning group Fair Agenda.
There are 76 Senators in the upper house, so that's a clear majority vowing to block any changes.
The Nick Xenophon Team, Jacqui Lambie Network, The Greens and ALP have all committed to fighting any cuts to PPL.
Executive Director of Fair Agenda Renee Carr is optimistic they'll stick to their word. "This is great news for working parents," she said, adding she felt the Government were trying to "drag us backwards on this issue".
Top Comments
I voted on this very issue.