The Senate has today passed legislation implementing government’s universal Paid Parental Leave scheme.

However, the Bill must still be passed by the House of Representatives and returned to the Senate because the opposition amended the bill to exclude small businesses from having to pay their employees’ parental leave.

The government will not accept the amendment, but the opposition says it will not insist on the change and won’t block the bill when it is returned to the Senate.

‘Despite the opposition’s petty attempts to water down this Bill, we can today celebrate the success of a 30-year campaign by unions to introduce a universally-funded parental leave scheme for Australians.

‘While we will continue to fight for improvements to this scheme, today we can feel proud of this achievement. In particular, it’s an important step forward for women in terms of winning real gender equity within the workforce’, he said.

Both men and women will be able to access the scheme, which will come into effect in January 2011. The scheme guarantees 18 weeks pay at the national minimum wage, and casual and part-time workers are eligible as well as full-time workers.