Tristan Douglas’ Post

View profile for Tristan Douglas, graphic

Narrative and corporate communications

A 2010 study in Sweden showed that a mothers income increased 7% over for years for each additional month their partner took after having a child. That’s pretty significant. And it’s part of an abundance of literature showing shared parental leave is a win for everyone—kids, mums, dads, businesses, and nations. Today is Workplace Gender Equality Agency Equal Pay Day, which marks the 50 extra days (since the start of new financial year) that women would have to work to close the gender pay gap. Greater sharing of care responsibilities isn’t a silver bullet for the pay gap. But care responsibilities do play a big role and spreading them more evenly is a goal worth aiming for. It’s also an area where we can make substantial gains quite quickly. So what is to be done? Two important steps: -         Shifting employers to offer leave universally (rather than having a primary/secondary carer distinction) -         Actively encouraging men to make the most of the leave that’s available to them. WGEA reports that 63% of Australian employers offer paid parental leave but only a third of those employers offer it universally. And men currently take 14% of all employer-funded parental leave nationally. Reducing those gaps would make a huge impact across two-thirds of the national economy. Sure, making the offering and using of universal leave a norm isn’t easy. Luckily it doesn’t require a long, drawn-out national debate and culture war to get started. We don’t need a new policy framework or a giant bucket of money to make it happen. That’s rare in public policy terms. I’m so glad that at Cbus Super Fund I’ve been able to take substantial periods of leave with both of our kids. It’s been a huge positive for our family and our life would be very different if we didn’t have that opportunity. Every parent should have that opportunity.  

Matt Cowgill

Chief Economist at DEWR

4mo

I’d add: we need better active transport 

Cameron Crowther

M&A Dealmaker, Energy Executive, Company Director

4mo

Well said!

See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

Explore topics