Parental Leave
In a patently cynical attempt to relive its past glory, the Gillard government this weekend used Fathers’ Day to announce that it will extend parental leave to dads.
Back on Mothers’ Day in 2009, the Rudd government won almost universal plaudits by announcing an 18 week paid parental leave scheme. In the lead up to the 2010 election the policy was still seen as such a vote winner that Tony Abbott flagged his own extravagant six month scheme, reversing his previous conviction that parental leave would be introduced ‘over his dead body’.
More than a year later, this latest addition of paternity leave - essentially feel-good middle class welfare in search of an evidence base - shows just how anxious to revive its flagging popularity the government has become.
Continue reading "Paid leave for dads a useless, cynical waste of money" »
When a friend told me I was mentioned in The Punch, I looked forward to reading the article because I associated The Punch with Punch, the British weekly magazine of humour. Instead of wit, I found the article by Tanja Kovac in The Punch yet another inaccurate diatribe against pro-lifers.
Tanja asks where are Archbishop Hart, Margaret Tighe and Babette Francis? Archbishop Hart is very possibly on his knees praying for you and for the many social welfare agencies of his Archdiocese.
Tanja, just look up the phone book under “Catholic” and you will see the long list of activities undertaken by the Catholic Church to help those in need. Ever heard of “The Vinnies” (the St. Vincent de Paul Society)? Or Mother Teresa’s “Missionaries of Charity”? As for Margaret Tighe, like me she is probably working at a computer replying to tiresome articles from those who don’t bother to get their facts straight.
Continue reading "Pro-lifers: we’re self-funded and we don’t discriminate" »
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Bob says:
In response to the article: I don’t necessarily disagree with the comments regarding choice and child-care payments (though I think the design is favoured towards people who work as that’s what it is supposed to be encouraging). As for the comments about how nice and lovely and supportive pro-lifers are… Read more »
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ZennoPoster says:
ZennoPoster - Speaking shortly its a tool which lets complete coding noobs make really complicated bots that will make their life easier. For start you have to understand even tho Zennoposter doesnt need any programming knowledge you will need to take a bit of time to learn it. ZennoPoster ?-… Read more »
Babies have a nasty habit of getting in the way of your career. Just ask Shelley Craft.
The host of Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show admitted in a weekend newspaper interview that she went back to work just two weeks after giving birth.
“There was no maternity leave,” she told the Sunday Telegraph. “Either I came back to work or someone else filled in for me.”
Continue reading "Modern mums are racing back to work too soon" »
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Sheena says:
I am sure it was difficult for Shelley Craft and Chris Bath to return back to work so soon. However, it is very hard to let go of your job too. Nobody wants to start back at zero again. Read more »
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Nulligravida says:
@ Ray. That priviledged gender are mothers, not all women Childless (by choice, circumstance or other) are a third gender. Replace “female” barrow with “motherhood” barrow. Read more »
It just doesn’t sound right – a church that wants to stop incentives to breed.
But that’s exactly what’s happening with the Anglicans. They want to get rid of “any policy that provides an incentive specifically and primarily to increase Australia’s population, notably the baby bonus”.
Even stranger, despite an inbuilt desire to disagree with any religious views on reproduction, I reckon they’re right.
Continue reading "Breeding dissent: Time to scrap the baby bonus?" »
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stop! stop! stop! says:
Stop the incentive.. for those who want to have kids, should be prepared & responsible of all the financial needs, not just depending on baby bonus.You want to have baby but you are not financially ready?? People’s hard earned money paying all the taxes for you to have baby? Ridiculous!… Read more »
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Bree says:
Why does the government not pay for females who (rightly) chose abortion, and yet pays for women who “choose” - basically get forced by male dominated society - to breed. Women should be paid to have abortions, and the male dominated society that forces females to breed should stop doing… Read more »
I find it amazing that policymakers have oversimplified the paid parental leave debate, saying it will increase the workforce participation rate.
How?
When Westpac and St George introduced paid parental leave, it wasn’t necessarily to get women back from maternity leave, but to get women into those companies over other companies. They knew that if they had something that NAB or CBA didn’t have, St George and Westpac become ‘employers of choice’.
Continue reading "It’s going to take more to keep mothers working" »
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Bob says:
Reminds me of an email I received recently suggesting that when (name suppressed) was born, they should have slapped the mother, not the baby!! Read more »
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BobM says:
@thatmosis - people voted for Labor, knowing that the taxpayer was going to fund their PPL scheme. So stop whinging…..you got exactly what you voted for. Read more »
Across the nation, bins are ringing with the sound of discarded contraceptives as women prepare to embrace motherhood for the princely sum of $570-odd a week.
Well, that’s what Australians opposed to the Government’s paid parental leave scheme seem to think. There is a perception that this is just welfare, another baby bonus, a bribe to have children.
It’s not.
Continue reading "Parental leave is more about the welfare of the ageing" »
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bm says:
Where to begin.. some, like mine don’t live in the same state or town. Some are continuing to work as late as they can, like mine… there are a myriad of reasons the grandkids aren’t spending the day with Nanna. It’s not so simple Read more »
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Shane From Melbourne says:
Absolute Rubbish. Bad policy is bad policy. I’ve already posted above why it is bad for the nation and ultimately unsustainable. Read more »
From the moment the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, Australia will begin summoning in a new generation – let’s call them Generation Fair – the first group of young Australians born under a universal scheme to support their parents through their first few months.
If you believe some, there will be an influx in the early hours of mothers desperate to hold back their child to join this select group.
Having gone through the rigours of childbirth myself, I doubt that – but I do accept these kids will be fortunate to be members of this new club.
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Margot says:
Where are the children in these equations ? Where is the responsibility owed to them. It is all about money. If you are not going to totally commit to the upbringing of your child, don’t have one. Children need nurturing, a lot of love and security, but not from childcare… Read more »
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Ryan says:
@Jason: then you need to stop Labor spending money like its water, how much is being spent just on illegal boat arrivals? Read more »
On 1 January 2011 Australia will get its first ever national government-funded Paid Parental Leave scheme. This is a historic reform which will benefit not just mums, dads and babies, but also businesses.
In designing our Paid Parental Leave scheme, the Australian Government engaged business as part of the process. We wanted to ensure the scheme is not only fair to business, but helps employers retain valuable and skilled staff.
Having a baby is for many people part of balancing everyday work and family life. That’s why the Government had designed our Paid Parental Leave scheme to be delivered as a workplace entitlement, just like annual leave or sick leave.
Continue reading "Getting down to the business of parental leave" »
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Sandra says:
@ Andy “Ban childbirth to save on education and maternity expenses and import adult taxpayers to fill the revenue hole.” Strawman, Andy. You are good at that, aren’t you. Nowhere did I see Shane say that he wanted people to stop having children. He just clearly pointed out that taxes… Read more »
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Sandra says:
Andy, if children are not a private good, then feel free to send the little one ‘round to mow my lawn, won’t you? “If you are concerned that payments such as the baby bonus are being spent on LCD TV’s, you should be happy that the funds are being redirected… Read more »
The Rudd Government’s paid parental leave scheme appallingly places prisoners on a higher pedestal than stay at home mums - mums who slog their guts out all day trying to look after their kids who need 24-7 attention.
While paid parental leave is a good thing the Government’s scheme has more holes in it than Swiss cheese.
On page 20 of the explanatory memorandum of the Paid Parental Leave Bill 2010, it says that prisoners who perform work in prison would be eligible for the Government’s paid parental leave scheme.
Continue reading "Parental leave scheme treats mothers like criminals" »
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Tsomo says:
I’m amazed that so many of you here think that being with one’s baby, or babies is not worthwhile work and that maybe it is not even work requiring skill and time and having an important outcome ie: raising a human being to be healthy, happy, able, with high self… Read more »
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Dan says:
Another Dan, I’m not ‘trying to pretend’ anything. He grouped prostitutes in with criminals. The reason why prostitutes, and not full-time mothers, get parental leave is that prostitutes do paid work. Unless he believes that prostitutes should not access parental leave because they are like criminals, he shouldn’t have said… Read more »
The Government needs to come clean on what its Paid Parental Leave Scheme really means for working families, starting with its name.
It’s a great irony that an initiative called Paid Parental Leave does not actually give anyone an actual right to time off work after birth.
In fact, if an employee has been working for less than 12 months, they have no guarantee they can return to their job if they take leave.
Continue reading "Paid parental leave policy is missing actual leave" »
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James.H says:
It’s always difficult to tell whether an image has been manipulated. However, site Photoshopped Image Killer makes things easy. By submit an image URL you can see if the image has been altered. Altered image will get a red flag while original image gets a white flag. Read more »
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Mother Boss says:
I’ll be hiring grandmothers from now on! It will give that age group a new lease on life and they can go back to giving their kids pocket money for the new baby. Read more »
It’s little wonder the Australian people, not to mention his own Coalition colleagues, are utterly confused about Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s sham paid parental leave scheme funded by his great big new tax on business.
As soon as his International Women’s Day thought bubble hit the airwaves, there was instant disbelief.
After all, this was the man who, as Workplace Relations Minister, declared that a paid parental leave scheme would only happen over his government’s “dead body.” And who then proceeded to kill off the paid maternity leave proposal put forward by the then Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
Continue reading "Tony Abbott is driving would-be parents crazy" »
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Bon says:
Ray, I understand a lot better now where you are coming from. although I don’t agree that society necessarily has a love affair with women, or that we women believe we are superior to men (although no doubt there are some women who do have that attitude, just as there… Read more »
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Ray says:
Bon, thanks for your comment above. What I am saying abour education is that we arrived at the present situation with culpable intent. Your son is doing well and congratulations to him, but across the board boys are underperforming at a greater rate. Of course those with memory fade will… Read more »
Tony Abbott’s foray into progressive social policy has backfired, with his conservative base rejecting has plan to tax big business to pay for improved parental leave.
In the first serious signs that the Mad Monk’s honeymoon as leader is over, this week’s Essential Report finds the Liberal leader has cashed in his credentials as an economic conservative for no real gain, with little support for this family plan.
After watching the polls narrow to within striking distance over the summer, the Coalition heartland must now be wondering whether Mark Latham has returned to politics in a different set of Speedos.
Continue reading "Parental leave: the moment Abbott jumped the shark" »
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David says:
You can find many funny photoshopped images and sometimes images not photoshopped with image original quality. How to find out whether the image is original or photoshopped picture ? Here is an online tool that let you to find if the image has gone under some digital manipulation: Photoshopped Image… Read more »
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Steve Turner says:
Andrew, Bit scary that you believe it’s ok that a polling company that the likes of Sky News relies on, is as you say, a front for the left. It may not have occurred, but much of your premise as to TPP relies on, as you say sus polling. 4… Read more »
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