Fathers to get up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave under the labor government.
The new proposal could allow men to take time off at any point in the first two years of their child’s birth, while the federal government fund during the leave in a bid to close the gender gap.
As per the current parental leave, the mother gets 18 weeks of paid parental leave, whereas the father gets only two weeks of leave.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the current government is keen to review the proposal and would help to close the gender gap in the country.
“Society has changed. A lot more men do want to play a role. And a lot of men do say they want to be the primary caregiver for some time,” she told The Australia.
“I’m keen to consult and talk with people about how we can best meet the needs of Australian families at the moment.”
She further said the parents should get the flexibility they want; this would strengthen the modern Australian families.
Mary Wooldridge, Workplace Gender Equality Agency director, said the proposal is indeed a revolutionary in itself, men taking parental leave would not just benefit them, but the whole society. “The research shows that men being more actively involved in childcare increases their wellbeing and happiness,” Ms. Wooldridge said.