Good outcome for working mums but what about mums who choose to stay at home?

Catholic Welfare Australia said today’s release of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Paper into Paid Maternity Leave provides the Federal Government with an ideal opportunity to assess the actual assistance being provided to ALL families in Australia – those with working mums and those with mums who choose to stay at home.

The Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Ms Pru Goward, is to be commended for the release today of the final paper and recommendations on Paid Maternity Leave.  The national scheme that has been outlined clearly articulates the need for more financial support for women on the birth of their new child and that the Federal Government should be responsible for providing this support.

“The release of today’s paper provides a context for some stringent analysis of what is really being done to support the family as a foundational unit in society,” said the National Director of Catholic Welfare Australia, Mr Toby O’Connor.  “Therefore although there is some intrinsic merit in the notion of paid maternity leave the complex agenda attached to any family or employment policy must be critiqued from a variety of perspectives.” 

Catholic Welfare Australia congratulates the Sex Discrimination Commissioner for making the recommendation that after a period of review the Government may also wish to assess the adequacy of payments for those women who are not in paid work.

“Whilst welcoming some initiatives that have been outlined in HREOC’s Paper, Catholic Welfare Australia is still concerned about a parenting payment that is determined by one’s status in the paid workforce,” said Mr O’Connor.  “Should a Government funded paid maternity leave scheme eventuate, we call on the Government to look at the benefits to the whole community by extending the assistance to mums who choose to stay at home rather than an entitlement that favours only those in paid employment.”

“If this country is to realise its potential it is imperative to ensure that social policy directions are evaluated in regard to the common good,” Mr O’Connor said.