Longer wait for extra leave for parents

If the Government had not played politics with a Labour Member’s Bill, parents of babies born today would have had the benefit of an extra four weeks paid leave to spend with them.

“If my Bill to extend paid parental leave to 26 weeks had been implemented today as it could have been, new mums and dads would have been entitled to 18 weeks paid parental leave,” Labour MP Sue Moroney says.

“However National MPs delayed the Bill at select committee under the pretext that they were considering supporting it, yet have continued to oppose it ever since.

“Their tactics have included filibustering other bills to delay a vote on the paid parental leave extension, while just last week they refused to have the Bill go through its committee stage with one debate.

“From today, families of new-borns can only reflect on the improved support they might have had.

Sue Moroney is now moving an amendment to the Bill which will see paid parental leave increase to 22 weeks on July 1 2015 and reach 26 weeks by July 1 2017.

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