[Greens-Media] Maternity Leave

[Roland Manderson]

=========
MEDIA RELEASE Kerrie Tucker Greens Senate candidate for the ACT
==========

13 July 07

Maternity Leave

ACT Greens Senate candidate for the ACT Kerrie Tucker leant her support
to today's call from the National Foundation for Australian Women and
the NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People for research into
universal paid maternity and paternity leave.

"Access to paid maternity leave in public service employment disguises
the fact that Canberra is no different from the rest of Australia for
all those women who work in the cleaning, hospitality, retail and care
sectors. They usually have no cover" Ms Tucker said.

"The recent Newspoll survey confirms what is obvious to the many
families who struggle to keep the bills paid while caring for infant
children. Paid leave needs to be available to all new parents."

 "This is about caring for our kids. The evidence is well and truly in
that the early years of a child's development are critical and that
caring for and loving them has value."

"The are broader benefits for our society. Families, business and the
wider economy would benefit if there were real and effective government
support for family friendly systems."

"But affordable and appropriate childcare remains a problem for many
families, and family friendly work places are still the exception rather
than the norm. It is obvious market forces are not going to deliver on
these issues."

"It is inequitable and irresponsible of the Government to support a
system, which penalizes the children of the least well off in our
community."

"If the Government and Opposition were serious about ensuring the
well-being of the children of Australia they would both immediately
commit to today's proposal to establish an expert committee to
determine the most suitable funding mechanism for maternity and
paternity leave" Ms Tucker said.


 Media contact Roland Manderson 0412241379

=================================
ACT Greens 8-10 Hobart Pl Canberra City ACT 2601
ph 62476305  www.kerrietucker.org.au

------ End of Forwarded Message