COALITION’S PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PLAN FORCES MUMS TO CHOOSE: SUPER FOR RETIREMENT OR FOOD ON THE TABLE TODAY

The Parenthood has criticised the Coalition’s newly released election costings, warning that their plan to make superannuation on paid parental leave (PPL) optional is a false choice that will leave women worse off – now and in the future.

From 1 July, superannuation will begin accruing on government-funded PPL – a long-overdue reform that recognises unpaid care work as an essential part of Australia’s economy. But under the Coalition’s plan, parents would have to choose between receiving that retirement savings boost or accessing a small upfront payment or additional leave.

“This isn’t a real choice – it’s a trap,” said The Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent. “This policy will force new mothers to choose between poverty now or poverty in retirement.”

Costings released yesterday show the policy would strip $158 million in super from new parents – mostly women – over the next four years.

“This move completely undermines progress toward closing the gender super gap. It ignores the fact that women retire with 25% less in their super accounts than men and are the fastest-growing group entering poverty in retirement,” Ms Dent said.

The Coalition has also committed to reinstating the childcare Activity Test – a punitive policy that has already locked 126,000 children out of early learning and stopped 40,000 women returning to work or increasing their hours.

In addition, the Opposition would scrap fee-free TAFE, cutting $431 million from vocational education and rolling back a policy that has enabled 40,000 people to enrol in early childhood education training.

“These are deeply worrying cuts that target women and young families at a time when we need investment in care, not austerity,” Ms Dent said. “Australians need real cost-of-living relief – not short-term cash grabs that compromise long-term financial security, especially for women.”

“Any government serious about gender equity, productivity, and the wellbeing of Australian children and families should be investing in universal early learning, fee-free training, and policies that lift families out of poverty – not push them further into it.”