Tony and Kevin are still fighting about it. John was never really interested in it. Paul only ever flirted with the idea. As for Bob, Malcolm, Gough, and all those who went before them, the concept never crossed their minds.
It is almost 110 years since Australia became a Federation, and in that time our failure to introduce paid maternity leave can best be explained by recalling the first names of those who have run the nation.
Australia had no founding mothers, only founding fathers. There was no Henrietta Parkes in 1901 and since then there has been no Paula Keating. Despite the growing representation of women in politics over the past 20 years, the combative character of our political system often owes more to the 19th century than the 21st.
Even on an innately feminine question such as maternity leave, our political leaders have turned it into a blokey display of one-upmanship, a my-package-is-bigger-than-yours exercise which could result in a deadlock which leaves working mothers with no paid leave at all.
There are things governments do as a matter of course which reflect decades of male domination.
The 6 o’clock swill was abolished as a matter of urgency more than 30 years ago.
The Defence Department receives all the money it needs, largely without question, to buy choppers and submarines regardless of whether they actually work.
Viagra was listed immediately on the PBS, even though there’s an obvious upside to that one, so to speak, for the girls.
We have even seen our government make the bizarre decision to get into the home insulation business, make a total hash of it, and blow $450 million undoing the mess.
It was the political equivalent of that great male tradition of going to Bunnings for a spot of DIY, failing to read the instructions, then paying a professional to do the job properly.
But when it comes to the most important period in our lives, the birth of a child, governments have still done nothing to help families through those first months of emotional stress and financial hardship.
Hardliners who say childbirth is a private choice and not the business of government are overlooking one key point. Our government is swimming in cash - and it’s our cash. And most reasonable people, be they parents or childless, would be happy to see a chunk of that money used to cover the wages of working mums, with the important proviso that assistance is also offered to mums who choose not to work.
And any childless person who begrudges the use of “their” taxes to help families should ask themselves this question - when they’re old, in hospital or a nursing home, isn’t it this generation of kids who’ll be holding their hands and bringing them their medicine?
In these enlightened times few people dispute the right of mothers to work. The term “career woman” now sounds like the quaint old insult it clearly was. While there’s a valid debate about the impact of full-time childcare on babies, working mums are no longer regarded as neglectful mums. And as anyone with a mortgage in a big Australian city knows, it’s not like they’ve got much choice these days anyway.
This modern reality should result in a consensus-driven approach where both sides of politics work towards a permanent and effective scheme. Instead, it’s a depressingly familiar case of may the best man win. We may all be losers again as a result.
Don’t miss: Get The Punch in your inbox every day
Get The Punch on Facebook
Facebook Recommendations
Read all about it
Punch live
Up to the minute Twitter chatter
@ToryShepherd I hope that's in your piece tomorrow. Also - are you coming over this week or laaaaaater?
Recent posts
The latest and greatest
Deep down we’re all unionists, even the haters
Bill Kelty made a memorable speech last week. Addressing the ACTU Congress Dinner in Sydney, the legendary…
Craig Thomson speaks. Meanwhile, in Australia…
Speaking of yourself in the third person is usually a sign that you’re suffering from delusions…
South Australia. It’s the middle bottom bit.
If South Australia had just arrived in the world, red and wrinkled and mewling, what would we call it?…
Nosebleed Section
choice ringside rantings
From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments
Michael S says:
"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone
Change Up! says:
I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments
A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more
Most commented