HUNDREDS of new mothers in the Mallee will benefit from changes to the Federal Government’s paid parental leave scheme, which will provide choice to working mothers and families to access their entitlements.
Member for Mallee Anne Webster told Federal Parliament this week the changes would offer families flexibility around when they can get access to their payment in order to support them and balance the needs of their young family and work.
The current scheme allows new mothers to take paid parental leave in a continuous block.
Under amendments supported by Dr Webster this week, parents will instead be able to claim two types of parental leave pay.
An initial 12-week period is available, which parents can use at any time within the first 12 months after the birth or adoption of a child, while the remaining six weeks of the entitlement can be used at any time within two years of the birth or adoption of their child and in blocks as small as one day at a time.
Dr Webster said hundreds of new mothers in the Mallee would benefit from the changes.
“These amendments will support many thousands of parents across the country and many in my electorate of Mallee,” Dr Webster said.
“Data from 2018 indicates that over 1800 babies were born in my electorate and there were over 800 parental leave pay recipients.
“Since the inception of the program in 2011, well over 5000 people in my electorate have accessed these payments.
“Once these amendments come into effect, parents in my electorate will begin to benefit in many ways.”
Dr Webster, who helped establish not-for-profit organisation Zoe Support, which offers support to young mothers, said her experience in social work had given her valuable insights into the challenges faced by young mothers.
“Over the years, I have worked with many vulnerable and disadvantaged young women who carry with them the burden of being single parents,” she said.
“Due to their circumstances, many of these young mothers have limited capacity to juggle employment and parenthood.
“Gaining work, and returning to work, is important for these mothers as doing so helps them put food on the table and pay their bills.”
She told parliament the amended paid parental leave scheme would would give single young mothers greater capacity to work.
