This week Council unanimously supported my motion for the City of Sydney to increase paid parental leave to 26 weeks, which will take it to be one of the most generous schemes on offer nationally.
I am proud to lead an organisation that is recognised as an Employer of Choice for women. Significantly, we have a women-led pay gap of 5.3% (compared to a male-led gap of 14.3% nationally), and we have more women leaders than men: both serving as Councillors and as senior managers in the City.
We have achieved much in the fight for equity for women, but there is more to do, and I am hopeful this additional parental leave is another step in closing that gap.
This will allow the stay-at-home parent to spend the crucial first six months of their baby's life at home, bonding and caring for their child without having to rush back to work. I have also asked the CEO to increase the non-primary carer's leave to six weeks paid leave.
