Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, is it better for new mums to be able to have 18 weeks at home with their new babies or is it better for them to be able to have six months?

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

We want a fair system, and what the member for Sydney is suggesting is that public servants should get two lots of paid parental leave from the taxpayer. That is what she is saying—that public servants should get two lots of paid parental leave from the taxpayers of Australia. I tell you what the fairest thing of all is. The fairest thing of all is what the families of Australia told us that they wanted. What they want as their priority right now is a better childcare system, and that is exactly what this government is going to give them and that is exactly what members opposite are opposing. They are opposing a better childcare system so that Commonwealth public servants can get two lots of paid parental leave from the taxpayer. That is what they are doing.

Ms Owens interjecting—

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

The member for Parramatta will desist!

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

They would rather let Commonwealth public servants get two lots of paid parental leave from the taxpayer and deny those selfsame taxpayers the better childcare system that they want. Let us be crystal clear about what we want to give the families of Australia.

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Sydney on a point of order.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, just on relevance. The question is: is it better to have 18 weeks at home or 26 weeks if you can?

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

The member will resume her seat. It is not a point of order on relevance to stand up and repeat the question. That is out of order. I call the Prime Minister.

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

What would be much better would be if Labor would help this government to deliver a better childcare system. That is what would be better for families. A better childcare system is what would be better for families, and that is exactly what we want to give the families of Australia. Low-income and middle-income families accessing child care will be $1,500 a year better off under the policies that this government wants to pursue.

What policies do members opposite want to pursue? We know they want two lots of taxpayer funded PPL for Commonwealth public servants. We know they are opposing better childcare, because they have told us that they are opposing better childcare. That is what the Leader of the Opposition needs to do tonight. What other big hits does he have on the families of Australia? Is it a new carbon tax? Is it a new mining tax? Is it a new superannuation tax? Tell us what your plans are. If you do not like our plans, you have a simple thing to do: tell us what your plans are. If he cannot tell us what his plans are, he just does not have any except what he did in government, which is just more taxes and more unaffordable spending, which ultimately mean that the families of Australia will be slugged yet again.