Last month, a bill designed to allow mum’s to have six months Paid Parental Leave on the birth of their child passed its first reading in Parliament by the narrow margin of one vote.
National and Act opposed it but every other Party supported Labour MP Sue Moroney’s Bill. Labour introduced Paid Parental Leave in 2002. It gave a parent, usually the mum, 12 weeks Paid Parental Leave, funded out of taxes.
But New Zealand hasn’t kept up with the rest of the developed world and today we provide the second least generous support to parenting in the OECD developed countries. Times have changed and New Zealand hasn’t kept up with providing the assistance leading experts say is so important to child rearing.
The World Health Organisation recommends that mothers who are able to should breastfeed their children for at least six months. In health terms, this gives children the very best start in life.
However, just as important is the bonding and attachment between mother (and father) and child in the first months of their life.
Child rearing in those vital early months is a demanding time and can be stressful for the mother.
Trying to feed and care for a baby when both parents have to work is tough. What should be a rewarding and joyful experience can easily become stressful and put pressure on the mental and physical health of the mother which in turn affects the baby.
This week, I talked to Donelle, a young mother who made a heartfelt plea to the Select Committee listening to submissions on Sue Moroney’s first Paid Parental Leave Bill two years ago.
Donelle and her husband, who already had one child, were blessed on her second pregnancy with twins. Because of financial pressures on the family paying high Auckland rents and meeting all the additional costs that come with children, Donelle went back to work after she paid parental leave ran out at 14 weeks. The babies were in childcare at an Early Childhood Care Centre opposite her workplace. However, she had to commute with them each day by train from Papakura to the centre of the City. She was up at 6 a.m. to get the babies ready and not home till 7 p.m. With three young children and the pressures of housework and caring for the kids as well as her paid work, there was little rest. She had interrupted sleep with the babies each waking three or four times a night. The pressure was too great and she almost suffered a breakdown before having to give up work.
No mother should have to cope with those sorts of demands.
Sue Moroney’s Bill will help by ensuring that mums at least get a six month’s break from work and mother and baby can spend time together.
The cost would be $45 million a year extra from 2016 and the same amount again from 2018.
When we can spend $26 million on a flag referendum, $30 million to house pandas for a temporary stay and upgrade already high-class residences for ambassadors, I say it’s time to look again at our priorities.
Putting families first and realising the benefits of our children getting the best start in life is a far more important priority. Every family should be able to do this, not just those who can afford to live on one income. Overwhelmingly polls show New Zealanders support this. It’s time for the government to give away its increasing tendency to lecture down to people and to start listening to them.