STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator DARMANIN (Victoria—Deputy Government Whip in the Senate) (13:44): From 1 July, which is just two days away, parents across Australia will be able to access up to six months of paid parental leave. That's 26 weeks of time that those families will never be able to get back—a special window which is ridiculously full-on sleep-deprived but is also precious and full of firsts, like baths, smiles and giggles.

It deserves to be properly supported, and that's what 26 weeks of paid parental leave recognises. It shouldn't just be for those workers whose employers have agreements more generous than the minimum standard. The minimum standard increases to 26 weeks, and for many families that will stretch even further, with around 68 per cent of employers already topping up paid parental leave, giving parents even more time together.

I am so proud to be part of a government that has doubled paid parental leave since coming to office, building a system step by step that better reflects the diversity of Australian families and modern work. Twenty days of this leave is reserved for secondary caregivers, which is so important to address the entrenched gender norms that happen when it is generally the mum that stays home the whole time looking after the little one.

I know that sharing care in my own family made a difference; my partner and I shared the paid parental leave we got, and it has made a difference in our boys' lives. Alongside this, there's an equally important reform that shapes long-term security, especially for women. Since July last year, superannuation has also been paid on paid parental leave.

For too long the promise of universal superannuation hasn't been delivered for women. Taking time out to have a child should not come with a lifetime penalty in retirement, and it should be something that all family members get to participate in.