TEACHERS, nurses, firefighters and other public-sector employees across NSW will be encouraged to share child-caring responsibilities between partners under an overhaul of the government’s paid parental leave scheme.
From October, there will no longer be a distinction between a primary or secondary carer, meaning every mother and father in the public sector will be entitled to at least 14 weeks’ paid parental leave.
The NSW Government will also offer parents an additional two weeks’ “bonus” leave as paid parental leave entitlements are more equally shared between partners.
“While most parents across Australia are entitled to paid primary parental leave, only 12 per cent of those who take it are men,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
“Supporting all parents to spend more precious days with their newborn children helps them form bonds that last a lifetime.”
The window in which public servants can take paid parental leave will expand from one to two years after the child is born, and extend paid parental leave to long-term or permanent foster carers.
Treasurer Matt Kean said as the largest employer in Australia, the NSW Government hoped private companies and other governments would follow its lead.
“Children don’t see their parents as primary carers or secondary carers – just as mums or dads,” Mr Kean said.
“Encouraging more dads to take up parental leave is crucial to supporting all parents to be able to choose to have a career, have a family or have both.”
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said strong parental leave entitlements played a major role in supporting women’s economic opportunity.
“These changes to our parental leave offerings will encourage more equal sharing of caring responsibilities right from the start of a child’s life,” Mrs Taylor said.
The paid parental leave reform comes following the NSW Government’s announcement that it will start offering workers in the public sector five days’ fertility leave, recognising the time demands of IVF and other reproductive treatments.
