INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - PUSHING FOR PAID MATERNITY LEAVE

5 March 2009

A twilight march making International Women's Day will tonight "push! push! push!" for the federal government to deliver on Paid Maternity Leave.

SA Unions Secretary, and member of the International Women's Day Collective, Janet Giles says PML is long over due.

"Australia has the ignominious status of being the only OECD nation along with the US which doesn't have Paid Maternity Leave.  Nearly 160 other countries have it - from the UK and Italy, through to Burma and Botswana."

"Even women in Outer Mongolia have access to Paid Maternity Leave, so how is it that 47% of Australian working women have no access to any paid leave for parenting?  And this after 30 years of campaigning?"

"We believe Australian women deserve Paid Maternity Leave as a priority in this May's federal budget.  Not a phased in, part way effort, but a properly constructed, immediate and effective system that gives women the support they deserve to be both mothers and workers," Ms Giles says.

"PML is the ideal economic stimulus by a government keen to keep this economy robust.  It eases pressure on employers to replace women who otherwise couldn't afford to keep their job.  It eases financial stress on families by guaranteeing women's earning capacity.  It keeps money moving in the economy by supporting families' disposable incomes, and not forcing them to squirrel away savings to cover lost wages."

Tonight's march will feature our giant mascot, Mesra the 3-metre tall pregnant puppet.

"Mesra's time is coming - we calculate she'll be giving birth in the week beginning March 23", Ms Giles says.

"PML is a giant problem for many women, and Mesra personifies the massive challenge of balancing working life and family responsibilities."

"A comprehensive Paid Maternity Leave makes good sense for the economy, good sense for families and good sense for a sound, healthy society.  We urge the Federal government to heave the good sense to adopt it", Ms Giles says.