Submission to the Productivity Commission on the Inquiry into paid maternity, paternity and parental leave, issued on 2 June 2008.

We consider mandatory paid parental leave should be publicly funded from government revenue and made by way of a transfer payment, rather than through the tax system.

CPA Australia does not support employers, and / or employees, funding a mandatory paid maternity leave scheme, as we believe such contributions add unnecessarily to employment costs and the compliance burden of business.

It was recommended in the submission that a mandatory paid parental leave scheme should be considered as part of Australia’s Future Tax System Review, so that it can be examined as a potential component of all the support the government provides to families, rather than in isolation.

CPA Australia is sponsoring research into gender and workplace issues in small accounting firms. These results will be made public later this year.

For further information read CPA Australia's media release Government should foot bill for paid maternity leave.