A letter to the Social Services Minister.
Dear Scott,
Two weeks ago you described Paid Parental Leave as a “first world problem”. Given you’re a minister in a ‘first world’ country it struck me as a curious dismissal. If you’re not interested in tackling first world issues, what kind of issues are you expecting to tackle?
Aside from that little quirk of logic though, what also struck me was your apparent lack of understanding about Paid Parental Leave. After tuning into your ABC radio interview earlier today, I had the same thought. You’re a smart man, you’re being touted as PM-material, how can this be? Is there no one in your department, or around the Cabinet table, who understands this policy?
It seems not, which is why I am compelled to write.
Right now you’re attempting to pass legislation to cut Paid Parental Leave entitlements to a number of families. To banish the ‘double-dipping’ rort that some families have been accessing as they are perfectly entitled and expected to.
Modelling by YWCA and Fair Agenda shows that nurses, teachers, ambulances and retail workers would be hardest hit by the proposed change.
The Human Rights Commission has suggested the proposed amendment might amount to a breach of Australia’s human rights obligations. Today, you told the ABC you’re listening “very carefully” to the cross-benchers’ concerns in this regard. May I suggest you also listen very carefully to the parents who will appear at today’s Senate Inquiry?
“When someone is already getting $11,800 from their employer, the taxpayer won’t be paying them an additional $11,800.”
What’s wrong with that? Why shouldn’t they get both?
In Australia, the government provides 18 weeks at the minimum wage to new parents, and this can be accessed in addition to any paid leave employers provide.
Top Comments
This debate shows that there is very little support for double-dipping. It’s also shows that there is very little support for the premise of the original article: ‘Double-dipping’ was implemented because it’s a cost efficient way to meet these objectives.
This debate shows that when some people double dip it takes money away from other people. The best comment I read her is to stop some women taking twice as much money as other women and give that money to child care workers. The next thing that will happen is that the women who double dipped and took twice as much as others will then be complaining that there are no staff to look after their kids at the child care centres!!!! The people who pursue inequality never take a look in the mirror.
** Scott Morrison, you should read this page to see why you are on the right track!
If you want to have children then have children but please don’t expect other people to provide for your every whim and desire. Parenthood is not easy, it costs money and it can be very hard work at times. GET OVER IT, or don’t do it.
I am tired of hearing about women who won’t have kids because it will affect their employment and career. Well, welcome to the real world, you can’t have everything in your life.
I support a basic PPL but some people are going overboard to the extent that soon there will be demands to outsource pregnancy so that they are not affected in anyway from childbirth to the time the kids move out of home. what a world, huh.
If you think that being a parent is too hard that you don’t want any drama or impacts on your life then that’s ok. Other people might consider you selfish and narcissistic for doing that. I don’t. I applaud you because you might not be a a good parent with that attitude so move on. Not everyone is cut out to be a good parent and for those that are stop whinging.
And one last thing! I think its a fraud to point to WHO figures and stats on only those things that we are perceived as being lesser to other countries. Why don’t we point to WHO figures and stats on things we are BETTER at other countries and then cut them back because we are paying to much in welfare, compared to them. You cant have it both ways.
PPL is good. It should be a social welfare at the basis wage with no employer top up (one or the other) and if that doesn’t suit you get over it or don’t have kids. I am reminded of one of Australia’s high profile tv presenters who blamed the feminist movement for her not becoming a mum.
In a tv interview she told how it was too late for her to be a mother and said that (and I paraphrase) “The feminists never explained to us that our eggs get old and eventually run out so none of us realised we would become too old to have kids.” - true story! Do you believe that?
while I am sorry for her that she never had children the feminists were not to blame, people make their own decisions and all too often they go looking to point the finger at other people for their own bad mistakes.
If becoming a mother will impact your life in many ways to the extent that you don’t want to be financially worse off, then don’t have them but please don’t look back many years later to blame other people - including the feminists who made you think motherhood was worth more than the current PPL.
Well said. If I hear another woman complain how hard it is to be a mother and why they need to be paid to do it I think I will jump! Seriously, there is nothing overall harder these days about motherhood compared to past generations. Yes, some things are more difficult but then some things are far easier. Think about how much easier life is with the internet for starters. Like might be faster these days but everything can be delivered to your door! Its all about debits and credits but if your listen to the complainers their mothers and grandmothers had it easy, and these days they have sooooo tough!!!! OMG ... I am over it!
Past generations had it tough too, and they never got paid, $1, but now we have women who are being paid twice and still complain!. Boy there are some very selfish people in this world. :-(