Parmar Parmjeet: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParmar Parmjeet: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 01 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:2796. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.Dr PARMJEET PARMAR (National) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: How is the Government helping to support new parents?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): As part of Budget 2014’s $500 million investment in the well-being of New Zealand’s children and families we announced that the Government would improve paid parental leave to help young families get ahead. This is happening in two steps and the first came into effect today with paid parental leave increasing from 14 to 16 weeks. From 1 April next year this will be increased by a further 2 weeks to a total of 18 weeks’ paid leave. This Government wants to support families in making the choices that are best for them so we have increased the parental tax credit which has not been raised since 1999. The tax credit is paid when low and middle-income working families who are not on a benefit and who do not receive paid parental leave have a new child. From today that parental tax credit increases from $150 a week to $220 and the payment period has been extended from 8 weeks to 10 weeks.Dr Parmjeet Parmar: What other changes are in the pipeline with paid parental leave?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I will be introducing legislation to the House this year that will extend paid parental leave eligibility to more workers and increase the flexibility of the scheme. These changes will include extending parental leave payments to non-standard workers such as casual staff and those who have recently changed jobs; extending entitlements to primary carers other than biological parents such as permanent guardians Home for Life carers whāngai and grandparents; and enabling employees to take their leave more flexibly by mutual agreement with the employer. Each year more than 26000 people take paid parental leave. Our changes will make it easier for thousands of New Zealand parents to take more time off work to spend with their newborn child if they wish and will provide extra support for young families at an important and challenging time.Sue Moroney: Why did National vote against funding 26 weeks’ paid parental leave for babies born with a disability those born prematurely or to the parents of multiple births at a cost of just $6 million when only 3 weeks later the Government found $70 million to fund the Northland bridges election bribe?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: There is already a great deal of assistance for parents of multiple-birth children. The Government currently provides payments for home help to assist with multiple births Working for Families tax credits provide four types of payments for families with dependent children and there is a whole range of extra financial support for families in special circumstances such as accommodation childcare and other grants. For families with a new baby with a disability there is a child disability allowance to help parents meet the additional costs and a whole range of initiatives from disability support services that provide wraparound services for these families.