Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the revelation that the Commission of Audit has called on the government to dump its excessive, gold-plated Paid Parental Leave scheme, will the Prime Minister now abandon his signature policy?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, no, I will not. Let me say of the Commission of Audit—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The noise on my left will desist. The Prime Minister has the call. You have asked the question; now listen to the answer.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We've had the answer.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am happy to elaborate. I am very happy to elaborate and to say why we will not. It might surprise members opposite, but this is a policy that I deeply believe in. This is a policy that I announced on International Women's Day in 2010. This is a policy that the coalition took to the 2010 election. This is a policy which the coalition expounded and defended throughout the last term of parliament. This is a policy which we took to the election. And, I have to say, this is a policy which the Australian public well and truly understood when they voted in last year's election.

This is a policy whose time has come. It is a policy that will deliver an historic reform for the women of Australia. I think that one day members opposite will be a little embarrassed at the stance that they have taken on this policy. I believe that the women of Australia should have a real choice to combine family with career. They should have a real choice to combine family with career, and that is exactly what this policy gives them.

This is an historic change. This is a mighty social and economic advance for the women of Australia. It is good for women, it is good for families and it is very good for our economy, because if we can get the participation rate up we will get our productivity up, we will get our prosperity up and it will be good for everyone. I absolutely stand by this policy.