Paying mums is good economics: Abbott

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is selling his rival paid parental leave scheme as
good for the economy as well as families.
Mr Abbott says his scheme makes good economic sense because it will increase the
population and keep experienced women in the workforce.
"So it is also a serious economic reform," he said.
The battle of the paid parental leave schemes was joined in parliament on Thursday
when debate on the bill to set up the government's version got under way.
Its scheme will pay eligible parents $543 a week - the minimum wage - for 18 weeks.
Mr Abbott's will pay the parent's usual wage for six months, with the money coming
from a "temporary levy" on businesses making more than $5 million a year profit.
The opposition leader - who once said paid parental leave would be introduced over
his dead body - told parliament he was pleased that "on this issue I have been able
to grow" after listening to his wife, daughters, colleagues and friends.
He said the government's proposal was "very modest ... a small step in the right
direction."
It would average about $2000 a child and wouldn't make a big difference.
"Mothers should be paid real money for real time spent with their newborn babies,"
he said.
Women shouldn't be forced to choose between career and family, they should be able
to choose both.
Moreover, it was a fact of modern life that most families needed two incomes to
survive.
Mr Abbott said he wished he didn't have to slug business to pay for the measure in
its early years.
It would have been otherwise if the government hadn't turned the $20 billion surplus
it inherited into a $57 billion deficit.
The levy was the "least bad way" to fund a measure that women and families had
waiting too long for, he said.
The opposition won't oppose the government's measure in the lower house.
However Mr Abbott moved a detailed amendment that described it as inadequate and
called for payments to last for 26 weeks.
Labor backbenchers queued to sneer at what Chris Hayes and Catherine King both
called Mr Abbott's Road to Damascus conversion on the issue.
Mr Hayes said the opposition scheme was "Tony Abbott's great big new tax".
The opposition leader couldn't be trusted on this because he didn't like economics
or looking at numbers.
Ms King said Mr Abbott's conversion was unbelievable.
"I fear it's not the gospel truth," she said.
Ms King said the government's fully-funded scheme would give mothers time with their
babies and significant financial support.
"The precious first few months are critical and can't be repeated," she said.
The debate is continuing and is expected to extend into next week.