PPL Bill supported despite Govt token extension

Most MPs don’t believe the Government is doing enough to support the parents of new babies and are supporting Labour’s Bill to extend paid parental leave, Labour's Spokesperson for Social Development Sue Moroney says.

“The Government has agreed to increase support for parents to 18 weeks over the next two years. That’s a token gesture which will not give working families the time they need with their new babies.

“Both the Māori Party and United Future are continuing to back my Member’s Bill which will increase paid parental leave from 14 to 26 weeks, despite changes in this month’s Budget. They join Labour, Green, NZ First, Mana and Brendan Horan in voting to extend paid parental leave to six months.

“The Government continues to make spurious claims that extending support to 26 weeks is unaffordable but a select committee report found the impact of the Bill would be just 0.05 per cent of money being spent in this year's Budget.

“My Bill staggers the implementation of the extension so it is affordable.

“With the Bill poised to pass its second reading, it is time the Government acknowledged this is a change the public and the majority of Parliament want. Finance Minister Bill English will be forced to use a financial veto if he wants this issue to go away.

“Under a Labour-led Government there will be six months paid parental leave. Kiwi parents will be able to support that when they vote in September,” Sue Moroney says.

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