Sue Moroney
Social Development Spokesperson
26 June 2014
National short changes new parents
Prospective new parents around the country have been delivered a low blow with National’s political games resulting in a
bill to extend paid parental leave not being passed before the election, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Sue
Moroney says.
“National turned the needs of New Zealand families into a fiasco last night by filibustering a bill on laser beams that
was supported by every party, to delay the debate on my bill that would give new mums and dads 26 weeks paid parental
leave.
“Its performance was desperate and disrespectful and continued the games it has played for more than two years over this
issue.
“The fiasco could have been stopped by Peter Dunne supporting Labour’s attempts to move the debate on. He chose to let
it continue.
“At one stage, I counted 16 of National’s male MPs arriving in the debating chamber to stop the paid parental leave Bill
completing its committee stages.
“The whole performance was designed to prevent National having to use its threatened financial veto.
“The Government clearly realised it didn’t have sufficient grounds to stop the Bill for financial reasons, so resorted
to playing politics instead.
“It is clear that the only way to progress this extension to paid parental leave is to change the Government on
September 20.”
ENDS