ACTU spokesperson Giulia Baggio responds to the dramatic swing against Paid Maternity Leave, as reflected in today's Sunrise poll, both by phone and online.

Baggio claims the way the proposal has been presented has brought about the reaction that is at odds with the research showing most Australians support Paid Maternity Leave.

“As soon as you mention the word levy - people will say ‘No way!’” 

Respondents voted against the plan by 92% and 82%, respectively.  

Why do you think so many Sunrise viewers have come out against paying a levy to support Paid Maternity Leave? 

If someone says “Let’s impose a tax on people”, people will instantly say no.

If you suggest a government-funded scheme, people agree that is the best way to fund something like that

“As soon as you mention the word levy - people will say ‘No way!’”

What you need to discuss why we need a paid maternity scheme.

There is a very big economic argument for it which involves a few factors:

1. Australia has one of the lowest workforce participation  rates for women aged 24 to 44 because of no paid maternity leave.
2. Women who get a period of paid maternity leave are much more likely to return to work
3. This in turn saves rehiring and reskilling costs (a lot of employers are starting to see this, starting their own schemes)
4. The bigger your labor pool, the greater the GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

There is also the health and welfare argument.

Fourteen weeks, which would be the basic model the ACTU would support, is the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard for mums to recover, to bond and to get breastfeeding established after birth.

By international standards, anything less than that is not enough.

How do you respond to people, singles and childless couples, who claim they are paying for others who choose to have babies?

Australian statistics show, most people still have babies and a family somewhere along the line.

Besides, most mothers work in paid employment, paying their taxes.

I worked 17 years before my first child, so it's not unreasonable to expect a period of paid leave, using those taxes, to start a family.

A lot of mothers will start paying taxes again when they return [to work].

Plus, there is a social cost not many people talk about, when many women come back to work too early, when they are not physically and mentally ready. 

Lastly, there is an economic loss through a loss of skills if mums don’t return. Plus those women who don’t return suffer a loss of career.

Does the government need to impose a levy? 

The Baby Bonus costs half a billion dollar, as of this year.

So to have universal paid maternity scheme, exact costings are unknown but it wont add that much more to that bill.

The trick is to create something affordable and reasonable, and build on it.

Sunrise Soapbox comments on Maternity Leave

ACTU Factsheet on Maternity Leave