Fed: Take from the rich, give to mums and dads, Greens

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2009
Fed: Take from the rich, give to mums and dads, Greens

By Cathy Alexander

CANBERRA, April 28 AAP - The Australian Greens plan to introduce legislation that aims
to provide six months paid leave for new parents - and they want the rich to pay for it.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young will table a bill to set up the scheme when parliament
resumes in a fortnight.

She wants the government to scrap legislated tax cuts for high income-earners, due
to be paid from July 1, and funnel the money to mums and dads instead.

"Tax cuts for high income earners is perhaps not the best possible use of those funds,"

Senator Hanson-Young told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

The Greens' parental leave scheme would cost $900 million a year.

Labor had been enthusiastic about such a scheme until the economic crisis hit, throwing
out budget calculations.

Now Prime Minister Kevin Rudd appears to have gone cold on the idea.

Senator Hanson-Young rejected the argument that Australia could not afford parental
leave as it headed towards a recession and a big budget deficit.

"I don't think it can wait ... Australian parents have waited long enough."

Under the Greens scheme, 26 weeks of leave paid at the minimum wage of $544 a week
would be shared between the mother and the father.

The scheme would cover full-time, part-time and casual workers, and include adoptive parents.

The baby bonus would be restricted to parents who did not work.

The Productivity Commission has issued a draft report backing 18 weeks parental leave,
which would cost taxpayers $450 million a year.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, who wants paid parental leave
implemented soon, will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

AAP ca/rl/it

KEYWORD: MATERNITY GREENS

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