Maternity Leave: Inquiry by the Productivity Commission

Articles exploring the campaign for universal paid maternity leave in Australia note BCA support for the inquiry by the Productivity Commission into maternity leave arrangements.

‘Supporters, including many academics and the Business Council of Australia, see it as a step towards what they now believe is inevitable. The commission will look at the economic and social costs and benefits of paid maternity, paternity and parental leave.’

From ‘Maternity Leave’s Long, Difficult Labour’ by Carmel Egan and Deborah Gough, The Sunday Age,  23 March 2008.

Council spokesman Scott Thompson said: “Our position on paid maternity leave, public or private, is we think it is an important measure for addressing the demographic changes and challenges we have as well as ensuring levels of workforce participation are as high as possible. As far as public paid maternity leave is concerned, we certainly welcome its being referred to the Productivity Commission.”

From ‘Goward Rails at Betrayal of our Working Mums’ by Carmel Egan, Sun Herald, 23 March 2008.