Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government's commitment to strengthening the paid parental leave system;

(2) notes that on 1 July 2025:

(a) the Government's paid parental leave increased by two weeks, from 22 weeks to 24 weeks; and

(b) superannuation was added to Government paid parental leave meaning taking paid parental leave will not mean missing out on superannuation; and

(3) welcomes the Government delivering the better future Australians voted for.

I'm very proud today to move this motion relating to paid parental leave because it's an issue that's really close to my heart, not just at the moment but all the time. It is about supporting families at such an important time in their life as they welcome a new baby, it's about gender equality, it's about maternal health, and it's about recognising the importance of supporting both men and women to take time out of the workforce to care for family. Paid parental leave was first introduced by the Labor government when Jenny Macklin, who I'm so proud to have had the opportunity to work for, was the minister for social services. In 2011 this was introduced, and we were one of the last OECD countries to introduce such an important scheme. So this is a really proud Labor achievement. But we haven't just left it there. We've continued to improve this really critical scheme, and that's what I rise to speak about today: two very important reforms that came into effect from 1 July this year relating to paid parental leave—reforms that deliver really meaningful and life-changing support to families, delivering fairness, dignity and security to working families across the country. These are reforms that reflect our values and the priorities of the Australians who elected this government.

Firstly, the duration of paid parental leave increased from 22 to 24 weeks, and this is part of our plan to reach 26 weeks by 2026. This is a meaningful change that gives parents more precious time at home with their newborns—time to bond, recover and adjust to life as a growing family. For babies, this time is critical. It supports healthy development, strengthens family relationships and lays the foundation for a strong start in life. For parents, particularly mothers, it's about their health and recovery after birth. It is about recognition, respect and economic justice.

Secondly, and very significantly, superannuation is now being paid with paid parental leave. This is a reform that generations of Labor women, unions and advocates have fought for, and I'm proud to be part of the government that has delivered it.

Both of these policy features were actually recommended in the initial Productivity Commission report on which the first scheme was very closely based, and these were things that were long an aspiration to be delivered: more leave, more time, and also superannuation. So it is really a very proud moment that our government has delivered these and that, from 1 July this year families have been benefiting from both of those. It means that taking time out of paid work to care for children will no longer have such an impact on women's retirement savings. It's helping to close that gap, and it's sending an important signal to employers about this as well. For too long women have been penalised for taking time out of the workforce to care for their children. The result is that women retire with around 25 per cent less superannuation than men. By paying this on the paid parental leave scheme, we are beginning to close that gap.

It is my belief that it is incredibly important we make it easier for both men and women to take this time out of the workforce—that we normalise it as part of life that people need to take time out of work to do things like care for children and other family members and that this is shared equally between men and women. I believe one of the most key factors in influencing gender equality going forward is that this is seen as something that is normal and respected—respected in ways like paying superannuation on paid parental leave, which is a really important way to show that this is a serious and important thing.

These changes will benefit around 180,000 families every year. It will give them more time, money and flexibility, and more people will be eligible. Labor created paid parental leave, and we will always defend it and continue to build on it. But it's not just paid parental leave that we're making better; these changes build on the Albanese government's broader agenda to support Australian families and modernise our workplace and care systems. Since we came to office, parents have been almost $12,000 better off. From cheaper early childhood education, with the goal of universal access, and paid placements for student nurses and teachers to getting wages moving again, we are backing working people and working families.

See this speech in context