Submissions give Bill a fighting start

The first day of public submissions on the Paid Parental Leave Bill showed the importance of flushing out the facts, with tried and tested democratic process, says Labour MP Sue Moroney.

The Government and Administration Select Committee received five submissions today, four supporting the Bill and one against.

“Open debate and accurate costings will make it obvious that extending paid parental leave is in New Zealand’s best interests. The taxpayer deserves value for money and there is a strong business case for this Bill.

“I was personally surprised to hear Business New Zealand’s views. I don’t think the points put forward were representative of most employers.

“They even suggested that women of ‘child bearing age’ – those aged between 15 and 45 - might be disadvantaged by the extension of paid parental leave as employers might be reluctant to take them on.

“Not only do these women make up a reasonable chunk of the workforce, female participation in the paid workforce has actually increased since paid parental leave was introduced.

“I find it difficult to entertain that idea as being a serious roadblock given that paid parental leave is taxpayer funded and is a huge benefit to employers with virtually no cost.

“Other submitters had very valid suggestions for cost savings.

“The Kindergartens’ Association supported the Bill as a simple measure to improve our children’s development. Their inclusion of cost savings from the ECE subsidy was the first look at the measure, suggesting it could save up to a third of the predicted costs of 26 weeks paid parental leave at full implementation.

“The National Council of Women rebutted claims that staff returning from parental leave would need up-skilling or retraining.

“NCW said that a constantly changing workplace would be up-skilling all staff as a matter of course. Singling those on parental leave out as needing special treatment is just wrong. In fact one submitter argued that women took new skills, as well as their existing ones, back into the workplace when they returned from leave.

“Meanwhile the Council of Trade Unions urged the Committee to look into the cost savings that could be made when temporary vacancies are filled by people moving off benefits.

“I think today’s submissions indicate most New Zealanders support extending paid parental leave,” Sue Moroney said.