Govt ignoring democracy on paid parental leave bill

NZ Herald 17 June 2016
Family First Comment: Not the first time that the National govt has ignored democracy. Remember 2009? Smacking Referendum? 87%? #selectivedemocracy
Finance Minister Bill English is accused of “ignoring democracy” after he vetoed eight more weeks of paid parental leave despite broad Parliamentary and public support.
Labour MP Sue Moroney’s bill, which would raise paid leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks, has a majority of votes in Parliament and was set to pass into law later this month.
Mr English has maintained that the law change is unaffordable. As promised, he invoked his powers to veto legislation which had an impact on the Government’s books – the first time he has used the veto to sink a bill.
“The Government’s got to weigh up a whole lot of other needs,” Mr English said.
“There’s a case for paid parental leave, there’s a case for more money for melanoma drugs, there’s a case for more intervention for people who are homeless, and we have just got to weigh all those up.”
It brings to an end a four-year fight by Ms Moroney to extend paid leave.
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