Just in time for Mother's Day, Australia is finally catching up with the rest of the developed world: From 2011, primary caregivers (men or women) will be eligible for 18 weeks of paid parental leave at the minimum wage ($544 per week). Although the scheme has been chopped in order to lighten the load to tax payers (loss of paternity payment and means testing), this is a historic point in Australia's history as working women have been campaigning for nearly 30 years to have the right to be compensated for staying at home. Stay-at-home mums, however, will not have access to the scheme but can make use of baby bonus payments and the family tax benefit.
Is anyone else out there excited?
