1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: Bungelung Cargoton woman from Gadighl country. The Daily oz acknowledges 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 1: Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to the 6 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present. 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily os It's Monday, 8 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 2: the twenty third of October. 9 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 3: I'm Zara, I'm sam. 10 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 2: Last week, the federal government introduced legislation to increase paid 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 2: parental leave to twenty six weeks. 12 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 3: Paid parental leave was increased from eighteen to twenty weeks 13 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 3: earlier this year, but new draft laws would see it 14 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 3: gradually rise every year until it reaches twenty six weeks 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 3: in July of twenty twenty six. We'll have more on 16 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 3: what that means and if it will pass in the 17 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 3: Deep Dive, But first, Aara, what's making headlines this morning? 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 2: Over the weekend, streets around the world were filled with 19 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: large protests in relation to the ongoing war in Israel 20 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 2: and Gaza. The largest of these was held in London, 21 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 2: where over one hundred thousand people participated in pro Palestine protests. 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: Also over the weekend, two American hostages were released by HUMMAS. 23 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: They were a mother and daughter, Judith and Natalie Ranan, 24 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 2: and are the first hostages to be freed by HUMMAS, 25 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: who are believed to have taken around two hundred hostages. 26 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 3: Masaamini, the twenty two year old who died after being 27 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 3: arrested by police in Iran, has been posthumously awarded the 28 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 3: European Union's top prize for human rights. The award also 29 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 3: went to the movement of protesters that fought for women's 30 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 3: rights after her death. Amini's death sparked international protests after 31 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 3: she was allegedly beaten by Iran's Morality police for violating 32 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 3: the country's hijablaws. 33 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 2: US President Joe Biden will host Australian Prime Minister Anthony 34 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 2: Alberzi for state visit this week, marking Albanesi's first official 35 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: trip to DC as Prime minister. Just hours before leaving 36 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: for the US, Albanesi announced he will also travel to 37 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 2: China in early November, which will be the first visit 38 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 2: to China by any Australian Prime Minister since twenty sixteen. 39 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 3: And today's good news, Scientists have discovered a breakthrough that 40 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 3: could lead to more efficient recycling of lithium iron batteries 41 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 3: found in electric vehicles. Swedish researchers at Chalmers University developed 42 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 3: a method that allows almost all of the aluminium and 43 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 3: lithium found in EV batteries to be recycled without the 44 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 3: need to use any harmful chemicals. If the process is 45 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 3: scaled up, it would mean these recycled metals could be 46 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 3: used in future battery production. 47 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: Paid parental leave could increase to twenty six weeks by 48 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six under a government proposal that was introduced 49 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 2: to Parliament last week. 50 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 3: So Zara, before we get stuck into those draft laws, 51 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 3: can we go through what paid parental leave in an 52 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 3: Australian context actually means and how it works. 53 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 2: Sure, So, currently, eligible primary carers can access twenty weeks 54 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: of leave that is paid for by the government at 55 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 2: minimum wage. Eligible parents need to have worked consistent hours 56 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 2: prior to the birth or to the adoption of their child, 57 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: and they also need to meet an income test proving 58 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 2: that they require the payment. 59 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 3: And when you're saying primary care, you mean the person 60 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 3: who's taking the bulk of the responsibilities in looking after 61 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 3: the newborn right. 62 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 2: So, paid parental leave has traditionally been intended for the 63 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 2: birth mother, except in circumstances like adoption or same sex families. 64 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 2: Under the current system, the other parent can share in 65 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 2: that twenty weeks of leave. 66 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 3: And is this the only kind of paid parental leave 67 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 3: that you can get? 68 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 2: No, So I think it can often be a bit 69 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 2: confusing because there are a couple of different schemes that 70 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 2: you can access. So some employers have their own paid 71 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 2: parental leave policy, and that is different to the twenty 72 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 2: weeks of minimum wage that we're talking about that the 73 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 2: government gives you, so private employer and the government. There 74 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: are also laws that entitle employees up to twelve months 75 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 2: of unpaid parental leave. So under that program, if you 76 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: go on parental leave, as long as you've worked at 77 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 2: the company for at least twelve months, your employer has 78 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 2: to guarantee your job for you to return to. 79 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 3: So the way I'm understanding it is that paid parental 80 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 3: leave is what the government is paying for, and then 81 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 3: some employers can fund their own leave policies as well. 82 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 2: Exactly, and employer funded paid parental leave doesn't affect your 83 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: eligibility for the Government's paid parental leave. As an employee, 84 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,239 Speaker 2: you can access both at the same time. 85 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 3: So give me a sense of how many Australians are 86 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 3: actually accessing paid parental leave. 87 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: So what we know is there's around one hundred and 88 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 2: eighty thousand families that receive paid parental leave every year 89 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: and almost all of those payments are redeemed by female parents. 90 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 3: Okay, so now the government's thinking about the future of 91 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 3: paid parental leave, what are the proposed changes. 92 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 2: So paid parental leave, as I said, was actually expanded 93 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 2: already from eighteen to two twenty weeks earlier this year, 94 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 2: so there's already been some momentum in the space. On 95 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: Thursday of last week, the government introduced new legislation to 96 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: increase that further. 97 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 4: Now. 98 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: According to the draft laws, paid parental leave would gradually 99 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 2: increase over a two year period, from twenty to twenty 100 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 2: two weeks in July next year, and then from twenty 101 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: two to twenty four the year after, with a final 102 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 2: increase from twenty four to twenty. 103 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,799 Speaker 4: Six weeks in July twenty twenty six. 104 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,799 Speaker 3: When one parent takes the paid parental leave what happens 105 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 3: to the other parent. 106 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the legislation does include a proposal to add 107 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: four weeks of what's called concurrent leave, so that's for 108 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 2: parents caring for the same child, so a month of 109 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 2: lead that they could take at the same time to 110 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: allow partners to provide more support. And it's aimed at 111 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 2: increasing female workforce participation and addressing this idea of the 112 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: motherhood penalty, which is understood to be a key driver 113 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 2: of the gender pay gup here in Australia. 114 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 3: So these are some potential changes that would impact a 115 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,239 Speaker 3: lot of Australians. Where has the impetus for this change 116 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 3: come from? 117 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 2: So you might remember, I think we did a podcast 118 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 2: episode about it. The government hosted a National Jobs and 119 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 2: Skills Summit last year and during that time, peak bodies 120 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 2: and unions called for paid parental leave to be expanded 121 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,679 Speaker 2: from eighteen weeks to twenty six weeks. At the time, 122 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 2: PM Anthony Albernezi called it a worthy idea, but he 123 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 2: said that the government was restricted by budget constraints, something 124 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 2: that we hear all the time on any given issue 125 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 2: of the day. But then he did announce this increase 126 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 2: to twenty weeks paid parental leave in April, and now 127 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: we have seen the legislation be tabled, so it's in 128 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: line with what businesses and unions were originally seeking when 129 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: they made those comments at the Job Summit. 130 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 3: It's just taken a couple of steps, so it's. 131 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 2: In line with what businesses and unions were looking for 132 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: during that summit. And I know that there are a 133 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: lot of advocates in the space who were at these 134 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 2: discussions really advocating for paid parental leave in this country 135 00:06:58,440 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 2: to strengthen and improve. 136 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 3: Okay, so eighteen to twenty six weeks is a pretty 137 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 3: substantial increase. But then if we zoom out and look 138 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 3: at Australia's place in the global landscape in terms of 139 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 3: paid parental leave, how are we going when we compare 140 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 3: ourselves to countries around the world. 141 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 4: Oh, look, not great. No, it depends who which countries 142 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 4: you're comparing. 143 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: I feel like this is always when Northern Europe comes up. 144 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: But look, if these reforms pass, it'd bring Australia's paid 145 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 2: parental leave scheme closer to other developed countries like New Zealand, 146 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 2: who had twenty six weeks of paid parental leave. But 147 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: we're still very much lagging behind the policies in some 148 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 2: of the world's biggest economies, those economies that make up 149 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 2: the OECD countries. So, according to the OECD Family Database, 150 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 2: average paid leave for mothers is, what. 151 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 4: Do you think as is going up to twenty six 152 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 4: maybe a couple. 153 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 3: Of years, maybe kind of the mid thirties. Fifty one 154 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 3: weeks okay, so a week off a full year. 155 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 2: If we look at countries like Canada where up to 156 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 2: forty weeks of paid leave can be shared between parents, 157 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 2: but there one parent can't receive more than three thirty 158 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 2: five weeks of benefits, so again that's trying to target 159 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 2: that the sharing. 160 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 4: Piece of it. 161 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: In the UK, primary cares are entitled to thirty nine 162 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 2: weeks paid parental leave and thirty seven weeks of paid 163 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 2: leave can be shared by both parents. Finland, Slovakia and 164 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 2: Portugal have the highest paid parental leave of OECD countries, 165 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: with around one hundred and sixty weeks of paid leave 166 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 2: available to mothers. 167 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 3: So that is over three years, but that's not. 168 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 2: One hundred and sixty weeks at full pais significantly less. 169 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 2: Then on the other side of the spectrum, the US, 170 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 2: naturally it's the only OECD country with no national paid 171 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 2: parental leave entitlements. 172 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 3: So clearly Australia's kind of I wouldn't say in the middle, 173 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 3: but edging their way up the charts in terms of 174 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 3: paid parental leave, Zara, How likely do you think it 175 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 3: is that this will actually pass well? 176 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 2: The Opposition has said it'll consider the draft laws before 177 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: it takes any position on the proposal. Now we know, 178 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 2: of course that the Government has a majority of seats 179 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 2: in the Lower House. That's not a problem for them, 180 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 2: but when the legislation gets to the Upper House they 181 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 2: don't and they'll need some additional support to pass this legislation. 182 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 2: The Greens have voice support for adding superannuation to paid 183 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 2: parental leave, so we'll have to wait and see if 184 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: that impacts negotiations because that's not in the bill that 185 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: the Government has put forward at this point. 186 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for joining us on the Daily Ods 187 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 3: this Monday morning. If you feel like supporting the Daily 188 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 3: Ods and helping us grow a little bit today at 189 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 3: the start of the week, would love you to press 190 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 3: subscribe so that there's a TDA episode waiting for you 191 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 3: in the morning. But more than that, it sends a 192 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 3: signal to the podcast providers like Apple, Lost, Spotify that 193 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 3: you like what we're doing, and that helps us get 194 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 3: exposure on the charts and maybe more people discovering the podcast. 195 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 3: It'll mean a lot to us. We'll be back again tomorrow. 196 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 3: Until then, have a great day.