Last week the Liberal Government reintroduced an amended
Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill 2016 to Parliament. The
Bill aims to reduce benefits to workers who currently receive
parental leave from their employer, saving the Government almost
$1.2 billion. It has been referred to as the
"anti-double-dipping bill" as it brings about a range of
amendments to ensure primary carers cannot claim more than 18
weeks' pay if accessing some form of government
entitlement.
Current provisions
In 2010, when the Labor Government introduced government funded
paid parental leave, the stated objectives were to improve family
wellbeing, encourage workforce attachment for women and acknowledge
the community value of children. The scheme provides eligible
workers with up to 18 weeks' pay at minimum wage (currently
totalling $11,800) in addition to any employer funded payments.
Eligibility requirements include that the worker is a primary carer
of a newborn, earns less than $150,000 per
