Lead

Pauline Hanson has moved to clarify her position on paid parental leave, saying she would not seek to cut the government-funded scheme if One Nation were in power. The clarification follows comments she made at the National Press Club last week that raised questions about whether businesses should be required to pay employees on maternity leave.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian reported that Hanson's remarks at the National Press Club suggested women should not be paid by their employers while on maternity leave, and that the One Nation leader also hinted at major changes to the childcare system and called for income splitting. ABC Australia noted that Hanson's openness to discussing a wind-back of paid parental leave has sparked concern among advocates.

Hanson told Channel 7 that her comments had been "taken completely out of context," saying, "There's no way, shape or form I am actually saying to get rid of it, I have seen it's been very beneficial to women to get back into the workforce and yes, they do need it when they're at home and having their children."

She said she supported 26 weeks of taxpayer-funded parental leave but maintained that forcing businesses to pay for parental leave would be onerous. "A lot of business, I can tell you, if you force them to actually pay for paid maternity leave, will go under, they won't be able to survive, they are really struggling," she said.

Key Claims

  • Hanson suggested at the National Press Club that women should not be paid by their employers while on maternity leave, asking, "Why should business pay? But they're not at work." Her comments were reported by both ABC Australia and The Guardian.
  • Hanson clarified she would not seek to cut government-funded paid parental leave, saying her comments had been taken out of context. This clarification was reported by multiple sources.
  • Economists have warned that winding back paid parental leave could damage productivity and worsen gender inequality. Leonora Risse, an associate professor of economics at Queensland University of Technology, told The Guardian that questioning such policies "is actually winding back the clock to many decades back, where it wasn't an even playing field, and the gender gap was much wider."
  • Hanson has previously opposed the extension of government-supported paid parental leave, saying in a 2017 speech that she was against a "welfare handout mentality." This was noted in both ABC Australia and The Guardian reports.
  • Australia's paid parental leave scheme provides eligible parents with up to 26 weeks of government-funded pay at the national minimum wage, with the scheme costing an estimated $5 billion annually. This was reported by ABC Australia and The Guardian.
  • Labor has criticized Hanson's comments, suggesting she didn't understand how the policy works. The Guardian reported Labor's criticism, including the claim that One Nation is "coming for women in this country."
  • Hanson said small businesses will "fold" under the cost of providing paid parental leave, as reported by The Guardian.
  • Opposition Leader Angus Taylor stated that the Liberal Party has no plan to change paid parental leave, as reported by The Guardian.

Perspectives

Pauline Hanson (One Nation): Hanson argues that while government-funded paid parental leave is beneficial, forcing businesses to provide it would be too costly, particularly for small businesses, and could lead to closures.

Economists and Advocates: Economists like Leonora Risse and advocates such as Jen Fleming of Childcare Choice warn that winding back paid parental leave could set back gender equality and economic productivity, noting the scheme helps women remain in the workforce.

Labor Party: Labor has criticized Hanson's comments, suggesting she misunderstands the policy and that her stance represents a threat to women's rights in Australia.