Universal Paid Maternity Leave - Productivity Commission update -

BPW members will have received an email from me about submissions to the Productivity Commission. Do you know you can just register with the Commission to be kept informed of progress? You can put in your own submission, or send in one from your own club. Complete the online registration of interest form at: http://www.pc.gov.au/registrationforms/parentalleave



The Commission has prompted a series of questions that will create lots of debate at your May meeting. You can access them at: http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/78498/personalfeedbackpaper.pdf



With employers competing to both attract and retain staff the pressure is on for items such as PML and Parental Leave to become much more universal. Could well be why major employers such as Myer have already started the ball rolling.



BPW will be putting a submission, and also supporting Security4Women submission, so if you want your thoughts included please add a post to this blog.



Thanks, Sandra

Productivity Commission

The Commisison will look at different funding models for PML to determine what could work for Australia. Even though there is overwhelming support for a scheme, and for policies that allow new parents to spend more time with infants, everything will be considered in terms of the financial restraints that the government is now facing. Will find some links that will inform us of the different schemes in other countries so we can better understand how they have managed to continue to operate PML without detriment to employment of women, productivity and to small business.
Sandra

PML Press release

Welcome to the first of our many pods. This is a trial, and hence picked one of the topics we have been involved with for many years. The BPW website includes the current press release on this issue, bascially commending the government for agreeing the matter to be referred to the Productivity Commission. They will determine the cost and efficiencies of the introduction of such a scheme.
I am aware that there are mixed feelings from our members about the call for universal paid maternity leave and would be happy to use this space for a discussion about your concerns, the benenfits, disadavantages etc. We represent a wonderful cross section of women, and as such I expect we will see diversity of opinion on many our pods - that is what makes BPW special. At the end of the day we all have the interests of working women at heart.
Sandra Cook