WORKING MUMS NEED ECONOMIC "BRA"

26 March 2009

Adelaide's massive mamma, "Mesra" the Paid Maternity Leave mascot is leading the push during national Paid Maternity Leave action week for new mums to to be given a financial "bra" in the May federal budget.

Mesra - the 3 metre tall star of the Fringe Parade - will be the focus of South Australia's efforts to achieve a properly structured, federally financed Paid Maternity Leave scheme for Australia's working women.

Mesra is scheduled to go into labour on Thursday 26 March and the nurses and midwives attending our mammoth mum-to-be reckon her waters will break - and spectacularly  - at 12.30 pm at the Women's and Children's Hospital.

    

While her nursing and midwife attendants are confident she'll have an uncomplicated delivery, whether the federal government can be equally confident of its ability to deliver a healthy PML remains to be seen.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says working mums and their families need better financial support.

"We want a financial 'bra' for our new mums", Ms Giles says.

"Let's face it, it's daunting enough to be responsible for a tiny new life - but then there are all the other responsibilities too.  Not only do working women need support to afford the necessities associated with a very young child or children, they need to know their job is still there and that they have financial security to cover the bills and manage their existing families."

"It's a reasonable ask.  We want new mums to have enough time to be with their newborn, to care for them and bond with them, plus to manage the expenses they bring.  In the longer term we want new mums to know that their jobs are safe and that they can plan for the future", Ms Giles says.

"The federal government's own Productivity Commission has delivered an interim report recommending an 18 week Paid Maternity Leave Scheme.  It would cost less than $4,450 million, which is only 2% more than current family assistance measures."

"The Prime Minister has been touting economic stimulation as a foil to the global financial crisis.  We believe that the speeding power of PML, and the financial security it delivers to working mums and families is not just excellent stimulus' it's a long term inoculation against financial woes", Ms Giles says.