Media Release
25 July 2012

For immediate release

Plunket supports extended Paid Parental Leave legislation

Proposed legislation to extend Paid Parental Leave to 6 months has the full support of New Zealand’s largest provider of services to support the health and wellbeing of children under five.

Plunket Manager of Service Development, Helen Connors, says Plunket recommends six months paid parental leave to give every child born in New Zealand the best start in life.

“We firmly believe Sue Moroney’s Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months' Paid Leave) Amendment Bill deserves the opportunity to be debated through the parliamentary legislative process.

“The first three years and especially the very early months of a child’s life are the most important to set the platform for a child’s long term health and development.

“We see the proposed extension of paid parental leave as an enabler for families and a huge contributor to the health of children.

“Longer paid parental leave would support women to breastfeed their baby as recommended by the World Health Organisation. We also know how vital it is for long term wellbeing that small babies develop a secure attachment with their parents in the early months, this is more likely without pressure on mother’s to return to work or manage on a suddenly reduced income.

“The bill would be a step towards aligning ourselves to other countries with more generous paid parental leave legislation. It would also affirm New Zealand’s commitment to the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child”, she says.

Possible benefits from the outcomes of the bill could include:

· significant benefits to the whole country long term

· improved infant psycho social health through attachment

· improved general health through breast feeding

· reduced admissions for communicable and respiratory diseases and skin infections

· reduced stress for families

· community development (through improved connection as mothers stay home longer and look to community support)

Plunket is a member of the newly formed coalition ’26 for babies’, which is being launched today at parliament.

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