MIL OSI – Source: Labour Party –
Headline: National short changes new parents
Prospective new parents around the country have been delivered a low blow with National’s political games resulting in a bill to extend paid parental leave not being passed before the election, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Sue Moroney says.
“National turned the needs of New Zealand families into a fiasco last night by filibustering a bill on laser beams that was supported by every party, to delay the debate on my bill that would give new mums and dads 26 weeks paid parental leave.
“Its performance was desperate and disrespectful and continued the games it has played for more than two years over this issue.
“The fiasco could have been stopped by Peter Dunne supporting Labour’s attempts to move the debate on. He chose to let it continue.
“At one stage, I counted 16 of National’s male MPs arriving in the debating chamber to stop the paid parental leave Bill completing its committee stages.
“The whole performance was designed to prevent National having to use its threatened financial veto.
“The Government clearly realised it didn’t have sufficient grounds to stop the Bill for financial reasons, so resorted to playing politics instead.
“It is clear that the only way to progress this extension to paid parental leave is to change the Government on September 20.”
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