2025-04-16
The Greens have announced an election plan to double paid parental leave paid at replacement wage to invest in women’s equality and give families both the time and financial security to thrive.
The policy would bring Australia’s paid parental leave scheme in line with international best practice by giving the primary care parent a year of paid parental leave at replacement wage, rather than minimum wage.
This landmark investment in women’s equality and support for families would cost the budget $7.7 billion over the forward estimates, and be paid for by making the big corporations pay their fair share of tax.
The Greens plan increases the ‘use it or lose it’ component for dads and partners (“secondary carers”) from 4 to 12 weeks, which has been key to incentivising parents to share the care load and household responsibilities in Nordic countries.
The Greens will also expand parental leave eligibility to all PhD students who are currently left out of the scheme.
The Greens plan would:
- Double the length of paid parental leave from 26 weeks to 52 weeks by 2030
- Increase the rate of pay to replacement wage, with the government funding up to $100,000 and employers topping up to replacement wage for those earning above $100,000
- Increase the ‘use it or lose it’ component for secondary carers from 4 to 12 weeks
- Expand parental leave eligibility to all PhD students (irrespective of employment status)
- Pay superannuation on 52 weeks of paid parental leave
Lines attributable to Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters:
“In this cost of living crisis, trying to balance the household budget with a newborn has never been harder.
“It’s time parents are rewarded, not penalised, for dedicating themselves to the precious first year of a baby’s life.
“26 weeks at minimum wage is not enough. Families are being forced to make decisions that keep the bills paid rather than being supported to choose what’s right for them and their kids.
“Hard working new parents are sacrificing precious time with their family, while big corporations make record profits and 1 in 3 of them pay no tax.
“Serious paid parental leave is also critical to closing the gender pay gap, and too many women retire into poverty after a lifetime of care.
“Increasing the length and rate of paid parental leave improves women’s economic security, reduces the gender pay gap and increases the likelihood of mothers returning to work.
“Increasing the ‘use it or lose it’ component for partners from 4 to 12 weeks will incentivise parents to share the care load, and help fix the lifelong disproportionate load of domestic labour falling to women.
“After sustained pressure from the Greens for over a decade, Labor finally enacted their policy of paying super on PPL.
“But those tweaks to add super and gradually extend PPL to 26 weeks still leave Australian women lagging behind our international sisters. The Greens’ policy would support parents who often suffer long-term income loss, deferral of career progress, and retirement savings penalties.
“Under our plan, a health professional would be over $50,000 better off next financial year than under the government’s proposal.
“More Greens in parliament will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act, including on fair paid parental leave and closing the gender pay gap.”
Lines attributable to Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Greens MP for Ryan:
“Parents shouldn’t have to choose between spending the precious first year with their baby and paying their rent or mortgage.
“Entering my profession in the 70s and 80s and trying to juggle my career and raising a family without paid parental leave I know how hard it can be. We’ve made progress since then, but we’re still lagging far behind countries like Sweden.
“While multinational gas corporations pay no tax, it seems unfair that the government isn’t providing the support families need."