Gudgeon Bill: Parental Leave and Employment Protection mendment Bill — Second Reading 
Gudgeon Bill: Parental Leave and Employment Protection mendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:621;Page:16290] 
BILL GUDGEON (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First supports the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill. There is a Supplementary Order Paper in my name and it amends clauses 8 9 11 and 12. The bill implements Government policy to extend the duration of paid parental leave from 12 to 13 weeks at the end of 2004 and to extend it to 14 weeks in 2005 so it is done progressively over a 2-year period. It provides new maternity leave partner’s/paternity leave and paid leave entitlements to employees who have worked for the same employer for between 6 and 12 months. These employees are not currently covered by the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act. Further the bill clarifies that for the purposes of determining entitlements under the Act employment of a teacher at more than one State or integrated school is to be treated as one employment. 
My Supplementary Order Paper amends the Parental Leave and Employment Amendment Bill. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the provision of paid parental leave is extended to those who are self-employed. I stand to be corrected. I think I heard the Minister mention that the Government would certainly look at the self-employed being able to receive this benefit. New Zealand First as stated earlier supports the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill with our amendments which would assist the self-employed especially those who are parents and those who are in the position of having additions to their family through pregnancy or adoption and also taking into consideration that personnel involved are positive contributors in the way of revenue increase and employment. 
So we are looking at a sector of the community who work very very hard and contribute to the tax and employment position of our nation. The question that may be asked is this: would this be a fair and positive contribution to society and families? The situation today in many cases is that both parents are employed or self-employed. How can this Government play its part in giving assistance to those families who are in the process of adoption or natural birth? Social policies in New Zealand afford to many individuals benefits that in many cases those individuals have succumbed to or are taking advantage of. New Zealand First is taking into account the hard-working New Zealanders. 
There are self-employed people across the board. They are hard-working people who pay their taxes. In many cases they can afford accident compensation levies and in many cases they cannot afford them. But these are people who in the view of New Zealand First should be entitled to the same parental leave as the employee. In the case of self-employed people who will run the business? Who will take care of and pay those whom they might have to employ in the case of maternity leave? Where will that come from? I understand that the Government has made provision to support people in those cases. New Zealand First also takes care and is observant of the needs of people who are in the position of being self-employed. When we take their contribution to our nation into consideration we see that it is astronomical. They provide an economy that many many people would look twice at it. They provide that while taking the risks of being self-employed and in many cases they have to supply accident compensation for those who may be injured. That has happened on a farm that we know the history of. 
Self-employed people include farmers. They also include farmers’ wives because they too contribute to the agricultural sector of this nation. Why should they not be offered the opportunity of being paid parental leave? Where does the major export in our economy come from? 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: From farming. 
BILL GUDGEON 
: It comes from farming. So why should self-employed people not be entitled to that same parental leave? I am sure farmers would enjoy and appreciate that very much. There are those who run their own small businesses. They have decided to do that because it is what they want to do and it is an extension of their talent and potential so why should they not contribute and in doing that why should they not be offered the same blessing of being supported in the time when there is an increase in the family? So New Zealand First supports this bill on the condition that we look very very seriously at the self-employed and the position and part they play in our nation.