Parliament becoming baby-friendlier workplace a sign of the times

Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff today congratulated Minister for Women, Julie Anne Genter, and her partner Peter Nunns on the announcement that they are expecting their first child in August this year. "Parliament is meant to be a House of Representatives, so it’s lovely to see it reflecting the reality of women combining paid work with their careers" he said.

"A truly representative parliament will have old people, young people, and parents working through the years they are raising their families. This is simply the reality of paid work in modern New Zealand."

However, Mr Wagstaff said that parliament as an institution and employer should be expected to accommodate the needs of families just like other businesses.

"There are still nationwide ethnic and gender inequities in access to flexible working hours, working offsite and other family-friendly initiatives, that we see illustrated in statistics released this month. Julie Anne is ideally placed to both help New Zealand businesses respond to the needs of parents, and to move parliament towards accommodating pēpe as a normal part of working life."

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