United Future leader, Peter Dunne, welcomes the passing of Sue Moroney's Six Months Paid Parental Leave Member's Bill through Second Reading yesterday.

United Future is pleased to support the current Bill but believes we need to do more to support parents of new-borns balance time with their child against the increasing demands placed on their time from their careers.

'It's important that parents have the opportunity and choice to spend time with their new-borns without risking their careers, six months is the minimum amount of time we should be giving parents," says Peter.

It is United Future's policy to phase in a year of paid parental leave over a five year period. Through that policy parents would be able to choose for themselves how to best balance the care of their child with the demands of a career.

'The fundamental point is that parents should be supported and valued for the time they spend with their children in that first year.

'The first year is crucial to a child's development and being able to have more time bonding with their parents is vitally important for developing a child's communication, language and health."

United Future's policy would build on New Zealand's current entitlement's that allow paid parental leave to be shared between parents and put New Zealand more in-line with countries like the United Kingdom and Sweden

'Our policy lets families structure their affairs to how best suits their new family.

'Some parents may want to go back to work, others negotiate working part-time from home, our policy empowers them to make that choice."

Source: Office of Peter Dunne.