The NSW Government’s childcare and paid parental leave changes are welcome reforms that will reduce the barriers for women who want to get back to work and help accelerate economic growth, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.
“NSW is again leading by example with sensible changes to parental leave rules in the public sector and with big investments to boost childcare capacity.
“This doesn’t just help make a fairer society, it’s also major economic reform that will help manage chronic labour shortages across the economy and drive a new wave of economic growth.
“This is good for mums and dads, good for businesses and good for the economy.
“According to the Productivity Commission, more than 90,000 people across Australia and 26,800 in NSW said they weren’t in the workforce in 2020 mainly because of the high cost of childcare.
“Moves to increase the number childcare places and to boost the workforce in the state are critical to keeping early childhood education accessible and affordable.
“With Australia experiencing some of the slowest population growth since WWI, lifting female participation and making the most of our homegrown talent has never been more important.
“These changes will work with the Federal Government’s planned reforms to the childcare subsidy so that women who want to get back into the workforce can.
“Every premier and chief minister in the country should be watching because NSW is setting the pace on boosting workforce participation.”
