Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson-Young for her question and for highlighting the very important package that the Prime Minister and Minister Morrison announced yesterday in relation to child care. One thing we know on this side of the chamber is that governing is all about choices. It is all about prioritising. There are many things that, whoever the government of the day is, the government would like to do. But the difficult business of government is about prioritising, and that is why the Treasurer and the Prime Minister have made clear that the childcare package that has been announced will be funded through savings which were proposed in the last year.

Senator Hanson-Young also makes reference to the announcement yesterday by the Treasurer in relation to paid parental leave, and I can confirm that, from 1 July 2016, employees will no longer be able to access the full value of the Paid Parental Leave scheme if they are also entitled to an employer provided paid parental leave scheme. This has been colloquially referred to as 'double dipping'. We think it is reasonable that, if someone has an employer provided paid parental leave scheme which is more generous than the government's Paid Parental Leave scheme, it should be sufficient. You know, and I think every colleague in this place knows, that there is no-one who is more supportive of paid parental leave schemes than the Prime Minister. What we are seeking to do here is to strike a balance. We want to make sure there is paid parental leave for everyone who is entitled, but we also want to make sure that, when there is already a generous paid parental leave scheme provided by employers, people will not double dip. (Time expired)