Opposition women’s spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Opposition women’s spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Opposition women’s spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek has championed Labor’s plan to expand Australia’s paid parental leave scheme to six months at full pay, which the party promises will be fully costed by the next federal election.

Under existing rules, the primary carer of a newborn can receive up to 18 weeks of taxpayer-funded parental leave, paid at the national minimum wage of $150.78 a day.

Labor’s plan would provide parents with 26 weeks’ paid leave at their full replacement wage, including superannuation.

“This is a policy that has actually been in our national platform as an aspiration for some time,” Ms Plibersek said on Tuesday at the ALP’s national conference.

“At any time, we always prioritise the people who need the greatest help the most.”

Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said Labor’s policy was a “thought bubble” that failed to recognise taxpayers already funded a flexible parental leave pay scheme. “He (Anthony Albanese) has provided no details about how it will be funded without imposing huge additional costs on both taxpayers and businesses.”

Senator Ruston, who on Tuesday was sworn in as Women’s Safety Minister, said the government’s scheme supported equal parenting by allowing families to split their 18-week government entitlement into blocks that can be used at any time over a two-year period.

“For example, both parents may choose to work part-time where one accesses three days of taxpayer-funded leave and the other accesses two days,” Senator Ruston said.

Opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Linda Burney said Labor’s policy would be “fully costed” and “fully articulated” before the next federal election. “We have 26 (weeks) paid parental leave with superannuation and on full pay,” she said. “This is an incredibly important position for the Labor Party — it has been in our platform for over two years.”