Extending parental leave to 6 months

How brilliant would this be!

That's what I thought monkeys! At least it's getting talked about and getting some media exposure.

Haha, thanks Freck x

It would be great, even more would be better!

Just wish it could be in place for No. 2. Still what we get is better than nothing...

kandk wrote: What I don't get is why they claim it would cost so much more $$. Surely for every mother who receives a parental benefit, there is another temporary worker doing her job who is not receiving the unemployment benefit! I would have thought that that would make it almost cost neutral?? Apart from differences in the value of the respective benefits.

I don't think the tax the temp pays would be equal to the PPL payment. I actually understand why it is getting veto-d. It would be awesome if it did happen but it is the wrong thing to bring in when the country is trying to get out of debt. I think maybe if it gets introduced in a couple of years it will have a lot more chance of getting through...so hopefully someone introduces it again!

good point.

I think 14 weeks is a shockingly short time for parental leave! I wonder what studies have been done to show the benefits of at least 6 months in respect of the longer term benefit to not only the family but also the community.

As it happens after years of working, I am now a student so am ineligible for anything! And the other half gets one weeks unpaid leave which we might not take as we'll lose too much income. It does make me wonder how new families bond.

Agree SethsMumma, most of the world is struggling with money at the moment, the last thing NZ needs to do is give more benefits out. However, if I had the choice of my tax going toward more PPL verses other benefits then I would chose PPL in a heartbeat. In an ideal world it would be great to give mum as much time at home with bubba as possible but while there are so many bludgers out there living it up large on our hard earned tax (grr I hate tax), the coffers are only so deep

I have to force myself not to read the comments on that article, all 'children are a choice' and 'me me me my tax dollars' blah blah blah. People forget that children are the future and actually, giving them a chance to bond with their mothers prevents further problems down the track. (But I know that the Stuff comment section doesn't represent the general views of the public - at least I hope not!)

I haven't taken maternity leave for either pregnancy, and don't intend to have more children, so this is not about me, but I really think that paid maternity leave is so important. Not just in the financial support it provides to struggling young families, but in the message it sends that newborn babies really need their mums (or dads) with them in their first year (actually I would argue 2 years) of life.

DomPost editorial makes a good argument for this. An extra $150 million per year is a very small piece of the Government's $100 billion pie, and money they could easily take from other 'nice to have', generous, slices, like paying the pension to those over 65 even if they continue to work.

As Dita De Boni said in the Herald, "It's the New Zealand disease. Save a buck here and lose out down the line".