Regulatory Systems (Workforce) Amendment Bill (No 2)

So just to make an introductory comment on this, the Regulatory Systems (Workforce) Amendment Bill (No 2), in this bill I want to pick up on the changes that relate to the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act. This bill addresses an obvious gap between the intent of the parental leave scheme and the legislation, whereby spouses or partners are treated differently to other types of primary carers in a similar situation—for example, adoptive parents.

The situation may arise if the working spouse or partner becomes primarily responsible for the care of the newborn and the biological mother is ineligible for or hasn’t applied for parental leave payments. This situation could arise, for example, if the biological mother dies or has a disability following an accident, and in that case the spouse or partner currently would not be entitled to parental leave payments.

I want to share the Prime Minister’s concern for families in these situations, particularly as they’re likely to be in great need after losing the support of a parent. This small fix will have minimal impact on the regulatory system overall. It will offer important benefits for these families.

Partners and spouses in these situations will be able to access parental leave payments, if otherwise eligible, that contribute to their family’s income stability and the health of the young child, and enable them to maintain a connection to the workforce.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It’s an absolute pleasure to take yet another call on this Regulatory Systems (Workforce) Amendment Bill (No 2). I spoke at length, last week, to this bill—in fact, I think I took three calls in one week; so this is just a little bonus for me.

💬 Hon Member: Hero of the Chamber, very good.

Yes. What else can I add to what the Minister Phil Twyford has said and what I was mentioning last week about this part of the legislation fixing an obvious gap and addressing an unfairness when it comes to paid parental leave?

I guess when it comes to us tidying this kind of legislation up, ensuring that we don’t have any unnecessary compliance costs and double-ups, but in particular, in this aspect, making sure that those who are entitled—or should be entitled, as was the intention of the law—to those parental leave payments are receiving those, is exactly what this legislation does. There’s very little else I can add to it, so I would just like to commend this bill. Thank you very much.

Madam Chair, it’s a pleasure to speak in the committee of the whole House for the Regulatory Systems (Workforce) Amendment Bill (No 2). I spoke on this bill in the first reading, so I won’t hold up the committee’s time by labouring the same points, but just to note on the changes that came back from the Social Services and Community Committee—I absolutely agree with those changes. It seems fair that the partner and spouse in these circumstances should be entitled to those. So I think the law as we’ve written it—or the bill that we’ve written here—fixes up the anomalies, and I think it’ll be great for businesses to just have that clarification. So it’s really good to have this bill before the committee of the whole House and I commend this bill to the committee.

Parts 1 to 3 and clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.

Bill to be reported without amendment presently.