“This anti-family government wants strangers to do the parenting”– DLP Senate Candidate for Queensland, Angelique Barr
Queensland DLP Senate Candidate, Angelique Barr, has slammed the Federal Government’s paid parental leave scheme.
Commencing January 2011, the Government intends to spend $260m per year paying the equivalent of the Minimum Wage to the primary carer for eighteen weeks following the birth or adoption of a child. Full-time mothers are expressly excluded by the work test, which makes eligibility conditional upon having been continuously employed for at least ten of the 13 months before the birth. There is a further requirement that 330 hours must have been worked during that period.
“This government is notorious for not considering the consequences of its actions,” said Mrs Barr. “The effect of this legislation will be to discourage conception, to impose unwarranted stress upon couples when planning a baby and to discriminate severely against families who do not want to outsource child care.”
Angelique Barr called on all parents and grandparents to remember the milestones of their children’s babyhood, such as ‘first smiles’, ‘first words’ and ‘first steps’. “Remember the absolute joy these brought to the family,” she said. “Under the Rudd scheme parents and children will be less likely to gain the benefits of these great moments, but instead will increasingly grant these privileges to stranger care. It seems that this anti-family government wants people unknown to the parents to do the parenting. Those who wish to care for their own children get nothing under the Rudd scheme.”
Mrs Barr says she cringes every time she hears Mr. Rudd refer to ‘Working Families.’ “He is only propagating a system where every adult must join the paid workforce in order to justify their sustainability,” she said. “Surely our future generations deserve more than money can buy. Indeed this government cares nothing for the security of family life, family bonding or the stability these bring to society.”
Mrs Barr concluded: “The DLP is wholly committed to maintaining the right of choice for parents and prospective parents. We support family values and policies that are fair to all parents.”
