Perceptions of Unpaid Parental Leave in Australia*

Australia’s status as one of the few countries in the world without a universal paid maternity leave scheme contrasts somewhat with its relatively comprehensive model of unpaid parental leave. As yet, however, there has been little analysis of the way this unpaid leave has been utilized, or the perceptions of working parents about its accessibility and value. This paper offers a preliminary investigation into aspects of these issues, highlighting variation in perceptions of access across the labour market and the need for more detailed survey data to inform policy makers. Introduction The most evident gap in Australia’s work/family policy profile – absence of universal paid maternity leave – has recently been the focus of considerable analysis and policy debate, with an inquiry conducted by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) in 2002 recommending introduction of a government funded paid maternity leave scheme 2 , and a number of academic assessments emphasizing the constraints of the Australian policy/institutional framework (see, for example, Baird et al 2002; Whitehouse 2004). However, longstanding provisions for unpaid parental leave have received much less attention, and the HREOC inquiry also drew attention to the need for more comprehensive information on their use and value (HREOC 2002: 238-9). 1 That is, covering private as well as public sector employees. 2 At the time of writing, the government has not responded to this recommendation.