A SHARED parental leave policy has been introduced by Kingston Council.
Kingston Council says it is the first metropolitan council in the state to implement the initiative. Parents who work for council who have children born after 30 June this year can now access up to 104 weeks parental leave, with 16 weeks paid. In a media release council said that “under the new policy partners can manage their leave flexibly and apply for it in the same way as annual leave. This will provide flexibility and further support in balancing family needs.”
Acting mayor Jenna Davey-Burns said, “we are all responsible for making gender equality a reality across our workplaces and leading change in our community and this important step forward has been made to ensure support is being provided to all new parents within the organisation.”
“We recognise that both parents have equal responsibility to care for their child. Shared parental leave provides parents with the opportunity to spend quality time with their newborn and support each other in the vital early weeks and months. In taking this proactive step we are positively contributing to the removal of the harmful gender stereotyping that contributes to gender inequality,” she said, “Kingston Council recognises the inequalities that exist between genders and how other forms of disadvantage and discrimination compound these. We are implementing this support as a commitment of Kingston City Council’s gender equality action plan 2021 – 2025. As a local council, we have both a moral and legal responsibility to show leadership in advancing gender equality and influencing inclusion in our workplace and the community that we serve.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 17 August 2022