Party unveils new election commitments related to paid parental leave ahead of November polls
The National Party has pledged to gradually extend paid parental leave to 30 weeks by 2029, as part of its election commitments ahead of the November polls.
In an announcement, the party said that if re-elected, it will increase paid parental leave from 26 weeks to 27 weeks in next year's Budget, followed by further increases in the next two Budgets.
"Extending paid parental leave to 30 weeks will ease that pressure and give more parents the option to stay home with their baby for longer," said Nicola Willis, National's Finance spokesperson.
"This is part of National's longer-term vision to eventually extend paid parental leave to 40 weeks, equivalent to around nine months."
Modernising paid parental leave
Beyond the extension, the party is proposing to modernise how leave can be taken, as parents are currently restricted from taking paid leave concurrently or in overlapping instalments.
National says it would remove those restrictions, allowing parents to divide their entitlement in any order or combination that suits them.
"For example, instead of one parent taking 30 weeks' leave, both parents could take 15 weeks together. Or they could take four weeks together, one parent could then take 10 weeks, and then the other parent could take 12 weeks after that," Willis said.
"Whether a dad wants to support mum in the first few weeks after birth, or two caregivers want to share paid leave in overlapping instalments, the choice should sit with families and not restricted by outdated government rules."
KiwiSaver changes
Meanwhile, the party is also proposing that the Government make KiwiSaver contributions on behalf of parents on paid parental leave, calculated at the default rate on the leave payment received, even where the parent is not contributing.
"Many parents stop contributing to KiwiSaver while household income is lower and costs are higher. As a result, these parents, overwhelmingly mums, miss out on the Government's matching contribution," Willis said.
"National will fix this by making a Government contribution to a parent's KiwiSaver while they're on paid parental leave, even if the parent is not contributing."
