Parmar Parmjeet: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — Recommittal Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParmar Parmjeet: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — Recommittal Third Reading[Sitting date: 25 February 2015. Volume:703;Page:1953. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr PARMJEET PARMAR (National): Thank you for the opportunity to speak on Sue Moroney’s bill. This bill is to extend the paid parental leave entitlement of 14 weeks to 26 weeks. It was good to see that the member who spoke beforeme Ruth Dyson acknowledged that National gave tax cuts when we had money because we do not believe in taxing and spending. I acknowledge that newborns’ and mothers’ health and development benefit from a period of absence from work without worrying about income. This also helps with the balance that is needed in family life and work life and also helps settling in with the changes coming to the family with the birth of a newborn.The National-led Government continues to invest in different public services to help children and families. The Government has already announced changes to parental leave provisions as part of Budget 2014. As for the changes coming soon we know that the current entitlement of 14 weeks is going to be increased to 18 weeks in two stages. From 1 April 2015 the current entitlement of 14 weeks is going to be increased to 16 weeks and on 1 April 2016 leave provisions will be extended to 18 weeks. Not just that but from 1 April 2016 parental leave payments will apply to more workers: those who have just changed jobs seasonal and casual workers and workers with more than one employer. Also from 1 April 2016 primary carers Home for Life parents and other carers with similar permanent arrangements will be able to access paid parental leave. For babies born on or after 1 April 2015 the Government is increasing the parental tax credit from $150 to $220 a week and is extending the payment period from 8 weeks to 10 weeks.Parenting is an important and also complex issue and a process that can be stressful and difficult. Raising children is enjoyable I know but it can be difficult no matter how many children one raises. It is important for children to have their parents or caregivers or their family with them especially as a newborn. I acknowledge that. Parenting is an ongoing commitment but families do like to keep that balance between the time a person spends at home and the person’s commitment to their field of work. It is necessary that we take into account both sides and find this balance and that is what the National-led Government did. It announced that paid parental leave extension from 14 to 18 weeks.Stuart Nash: Give women a choice—don’t speak on their behalf.Simon O’Connor: With everyone else’s money.Dr PARMJEET PARMAR: Yes it is everyone else’s money. Paid parental leave is a Government-funded entitlement. It is one of the uses that the taxpayer’s money is put towards; hence we must use this money effectively. The paid parental leave programme is a great initiative and it is important that we make it as effective and efficient as possible. But we need to operate at an affordable level. The extensions announced by the Government are optimal for both family life balance and affordability.I will share my own experience. Just like many others I did not want to stay away from work for too long as I wanted to be an active contributor in my field of work. As well as this I know the opportunity to bond with my children is limited. This is why I truly believe and have learnt that it is the quality of time that you spend with your children not the quantity of time that you spend with them.The family structure is changing. Our families are becoming diverse and our needs are changing as well. Therefore the Government is also developing further changes to ensure New Zealand’s parental leave framework reflects current working arrangements in today’s diverse family structures. To do this a discussion document was released in July 2014 seeking feedback on the Government’s proposals to enhance and modernise parental leave. Almost 900 submissions were received and those submissions are under consideration currently. The Government aims to put these changes in place by 1 April 2016.The Government continues to stand with New Zealand families and children. The National Government is known for delivering value for our taxpayers and is always striving to deliver more for families and children. The Government is doing a number of other things to help children in our communities like extending free general practitioner visits to children aged under 13 and free immunisation against rotavirus. It is about fiscal management and balance. We do not support this bill.