It is within the particularly Australian context that the objectives of the Parental Leave Act (2010)4 must be read, noting that the Act was introduced following a comprehensive analysis of the need for a paid parental leave scheme by the Productivity Commission (2009).

The objective of Parental Leave Pay is to provide financial support to primary carers (1.1.P.230) (mainly birth mothers) of children, in order to:

• allow those carers to take time off work to care for the child in the 2 years following the child’s birth or adoption;
• enhance the health and development of birth mothers and children;
• encourage women to continue to participate in the workforce;
• promote equality between men and women, and the balance between work and family life, and;
• provide those carers with greater flexibility to balance work and family life.