About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

April 13, 2012 12:15pm by David Farrar

Paid Parental Leave Pains

My column in the NZ Herald is titled “Paid Parental Leave Pains“.

Share this:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
WhatsApp
More

Pinterest
Print
Tumblr

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment11

NZ Politics
David Farrar on Politics
NZ Herald
paid parental leave

Related Stories

Vetoed
A confused editorial
ACT changing its brand

Comments (11)

Login to comment or vote

tvb

This is a blatant attempt to get an entitlement and the Lanour Party is ramping it up for all it is worth. There is room for compromise say another 6 weeks in election year.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 12:22pm
SalParadise

Hi DPF,

Good column. If the increase in PPL was to go ahead would you favour a universal approach?

[DPF: No. I would target it at those earning below the median wage]
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 12:33pm
Pete George

An excellent column, although the “nearly half a billion” might be pushing the high end of the actual costs, without taking into account potential reduced costs elsewhere, such as paid child care.

I’d like to see this researched properly, where longer term benefits and costs can somehow be quantified, but that won’t be easy.

Would it be possible to tie implementation if this bill to when it could be afforded from surplus, which is projected for 2015-ish (not far after the bill would get through)?
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 12:38pm
Rosa19

Hi DPF,

Can you plse post the references to the research you note in your article that says PPL improves social/health outcomes for parents/children, cheers
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 12:43pm
Nick R

This is bad for David Shearer (snort).
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 1:24pm
Paulus

At least Bill English has come out with a simple unequivical positive statement – NO WAY.
Almost statesman like !
National looked at it before the last election and ruled it out then on cost.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 1:26pm
Other_Andy

Oh goodie, more lollies.
I can think of at least half a dozen more policies that would be ‘beneficial’.

If the increase in PPL was to go ahead would you favour a universal approach?
DPF: No. I would target it at those earning below the median wage

With WWF, student allowances and other ‘entitlements’ those trying to get ahead and aiming to earn extra\above the median wage should consider their position. At some point the incentive to try and advance yourself will be gone.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 1:43pm
Richard29

I would not be surprised to see National u-turn on this one and end up supporting the bill in a different form. I can imagine this following a similar path to the anti-smacking law – it’s not good politics to come out swinging against Plunket and mums struggling with newborns. A big chunk of the centre ground that National has won was centrist women voters who supported Helen Clark.

I could see somebody like Jackie Blue sponsoring an amendment (similar to the Chester Borrows sponsored compromise amendment on the smacking bill) to manage the cost while maintaining the maternal health objectives of the policy by phasing it in over a longer period of time (or perhaps phasing out the payments so it phases out rather than going from $457 a week to nothing). This would proportionately benefit poor mums more which would be problematic for Labour.

Or perhaps even a Key/English solution unveiled at budget time to make it fiscally neutral through savings in an other area that deliver an ideological policy win for National. For instance, the Nats could say they will introduce interest on student loans at the rate of inflation once people start working full time and use the money to pay for PPL. It all goes into the consolidated account so it’s a bit of smoke and mirrors but the public doesn’t really care. But if managed well it would be very effective because if Labour opposes the solution then National get to paint them as hurting young mums to provide a subsidy to full time working professionals with a degree.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 2:27pm
david

Simple solution to this would be for the PPL to be changed so that it was available for months 6-12 following the birth of the baby. Think about it.

No extra cost
certainty of how much should be saved to cope for months 1-6

downside – a slapper on the dpb would get paid to stay at home while the shop assistant wouldn’t.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 13, 2012 2:37pm
seanmaitland

@Pete George – there are not offset costs to the government, especially not paid childcare – the childcare rebate is worth a little over $300 per year, which when compared to $328 per week (net) for 14 weeks is nothing.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 14, 2012 1:15am
Paulus

Why didn’t Labour during their 9 years do this when the accounts were in Surplus ?
This bill has been sitting for a number of years, awaiting its luck
Cullen had plenty of money to spend – he paid a billion for a Railway.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 14, 2012 3:03pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Changes within Labour

The Meat Workers Union accounts »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Highlights

The Kiwis are fleeing
Inflation by term
Houston we have a problem
Our immunisation disaster

Top Stories

General Debate 19 April 2024
General Debate 20 April 2024
Two terrible attacks in Australia
Singapore takes defence very seriously
Are those with access cards the problem?
Coalition Operating Agreement
No excuse for fleeing
General Debate 18 April 2024
This could explain the brickbat
We still have an inflation problem

Recent Posts

General Debate 20 April 2024 20 April 2024
Coalition Operating Agreement 20 April 2024
Are those with access cards the problem? 19 April 2024
Singapore takes defence very seriously 19 April 2024
General Debate 19 April 2024 19 April 2024
Two terrible attacks in Australia 19 April 2024
No excuse for fleeing 18 April 2024
This could explain the brickbat 18 April 2024
General Debate 18 April 2024 18 April 2024
We still have an inflation problem 18 April 2024
UK Labour Deputy Leader in trouble 17 April 2024
Ministry of Education Cuts in Perspective. 17 April 2024

Never miss a post

Email Address

Recent Comments

General Debate 20 April 2024
Ghost
Coalition Operating Agreement
Ghost
General Debate 20 April 2024
Pineapple Lumps
General Debate 20 April 2024
I remember when
General Debate 20 April 2024
thirteenstars
General Debate 20 April 2024
Nobby2
General Debate 20 April 2024
I remember when
General Debate 20 April 2024
Burtland
Coalition Operating Agreement
peterwn
General Debate 20 April 2024
Benedict Yu
General Debate 20 April 2024
Steve Otto(North Shore)
General Debate 20 April 2024
Steve Otto(North Shore)
General Debate 20 April 2024
I remember when
General Debate 20 April 2024
Steve Otto(North Shore)
General Debate 20 April 2024
peterwn

Links

Remember we are cutting jobs at mental health foundation to afford tax breaks to the richest landlords
The Daily Blog
Silence is Golden
No Minister
Woman of the day
Hompaddock
Response from Devin Pope, on religious attendance
Utopia
Open mike 20/04/2024
The Standard
A who's who of New Zealand's dodgiest companies
No Right Turn
"Under a better Resource Management system [sic], there would be no need for fast-track approval processes."
Not PC
Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
Point of Order
Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
Kiwipolitico
Despair - construction consenting edition
Offsetting Behaviour
RACIST ADVERTISING
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Is the state coming for churches?
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
Super Rugby Predictions for Week 9
Stats Chat
Coalition Promises
NZCPR
Tougher than that
Croaking Cassandra
ABs stripped of 2011 title after try disallowed
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker
Angie Warren-Clark: Meet the Newbies
Dan Moskovitz

editor@kiwiblog.co.nz

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

© 2003-2024 David Farrar

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d