"From a baby’s point of view, New Zealand should introduce paid parental
leave without delay", Commissioner for Children, Roger McClay, told the
New Zealand Kindergartens Inc Conference in Blenheim today.

"A mother/baby close relationship is all good news in terms of bonding,
breastfeeding, health, reduced sickness", he said.

Mr McClay told the conference that it was "outrageous that more than 50%
of South Auckland babies are hospitalised within their first year of
life".

He said the savings from even a 1% reduction in each hospital admission,
child abuse case, emergency sickness benefit, special needs education and
general social costs "would come to much more than the $100M needed each
year to finance paid maternity leave".

The Commissioner emphasised that he was not "pushing women’s choice
demand" but rather "what is good for our children and therefore our
society".

Ends

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