It was the news flagged by The Australian on Thursday, splashed on The Sunday Telegraph’s front page and then confirmed by the Prime Minister himself in a hastily called press conference in Sydney yesterday.
The government’s paid parental leave policy will be amended and some of the funding is likely to be funnelled into childcare.
Tony Abbott was pointedly vague on the details of exactly how this policy will be amended. His announcement came on the back of a “ragged” fortnight for his government which has arguably worsened in light of a Fairfax/Ipsos poll out today that indicates Abbott’s personal popularity has plunged.
Giving the timing and lack of detail in his announcement yesterday it’s impossible to conclude the decision – at this stage – is anything other than a politically motivated move. The PPL has been a lightning rod for discontent – both in and out of his government – and has provided a conspicuous exception to the government’s narrative about the need for austerity.
Ever since the policy was conceived it’s been the source of considerable debate and discussion. So why in Abbott now conceding he’s open to change?
The Age’s Tom Allard reports that it’s a clever way to get ahead of the curve. “Consider the government has been sitting on a Productivity Commission report that is understood to have been sharply critical of the $5.5 billion scheme … That report was handed to the government in October but now can’t be released until February, as it needs to be tabled in Parliament first, allowing the government to pre-empt its embarrassing public release with a new policy.”
If that’s the case, even if the timing is suspicious, the outcome is potentially worth it. Because there is a picture that is far bigger and more important than party politics or Tony Abbott’s approval rating. Even if this policy was conceived as “a captain’s pick” to stymie Abbott’s “women problem”, it doesn’t negate the fact we need adequate policies to support women working.
Despite the fact it’s not being articulated clearly Australia has a legitimate problem with women and the workplace. In the last month alone this has been evidenced by compelling research compiled by WGEA, Bain & Company and Chief Executive Women.
Why do we have this problem? It’s complicated but in part it’s because our “house”, if you like, isn’t set up for modern technology. The bones of Australia’s “house” – our workplaces, our childcare system, our managers, our schools – haven’t been renovated for decades but the world itself has transformed. Our workplaces are still wired for analogue but our women are wired for digital and they’re not compatible. We need an overhaul to bring our house up to speed.
Paid parental leave is one part of that equation, particularly in the realm of normalising parental leave in the workplace. Childcare is another vital piece of infrastructure that will better enable parents – mothers and fathers – to more effectively combine work and family.
That’s the prize I have my eye on. Whatever policy the government brings out after Christmas, previous promises aside, the litmus test is whether it’s going to equip us for the modern digital world. Because we’ve been stuck in analogue for too long and we’re all missing out.