Hanson's 'scary' parental leave views outdated, advocates say

Pauline Hanson's views on paid parental leave outdated and concerning, advocates say Fri 19 Jun 2026 at 4:54am In short: Pauline Hanson's remarks about parental entitlements have concerned advocates, one of whom says the One Nation leader's attitudes come from "back in the day". Senator Hanson has indicated that One Nation is willing to consider pulling back paid parental leave. Those opposed to the notion say Australia should protect or even expand the scheme as families struggle to get by. Pauline Hanson's openness to discuss a winding back of paid parental leave is concerning and harks back to an Australia that no longer exists, advocates say. The One Nation leader questioned "why should business pay [parents] if they're not at work?" while challenging the pay gap between men and women in her speech at the National Press Club this week. The party is willing to consider pulling back paid parental leave, though it has not finalised its policy on workplace relations. It is a long-held view of Senator Hanson's. In a 2017 speech opposing an expanded paid parental leave scheme she opposed a "welfare handout mentality", because she raised children as a "single mother and held down a part-time job". "I had no assistance, no help from anyone," she said at the time. Childcare Choice co-founder Jen Fleming said Senator Hanson's comments were a bit "back in the day". "It's been 40 years since Pauline Hanson had children," the mother of two said. "Alot has changed in the economy and with women's workforce participation. "We don't live in an economy where that is possible anymore. I think it would be the wrong direction for our country." Australia's paid parental leave scheme provides eligible parents with up to 26 weeks of government-funded pay at the national minimum wage. The scheme, which costs an estimated $5 billion annually, allows parents to share the leave as they choose and grants them superannuation on top of the payment. "It's a scary thought to think that may become a reality in this country, that paid parental leave would go backwards," Ms Fleming said. Ms Fleming, whose organisation calls on the government to expand subsidised childcare options beyond childcare centres, said there was also irony that paid leave could be up for debate while others debated how to lift Australian birth rates. "But if we're not going to support women when they have those babies, with policies like paid parental leave, how is that going to happen? You can't have one without the other," she said. "I appreciate there are lots of budget constraints, but there has to be other places where government can find savings not at the detriment of women and savings." Families often need multiple incomes Tegan Gilchrist, campaign director for advocacy group The Parenthood, said about 80 per cent of families relied on early learning and paid parental leave. She said Australia should continue to push towards supporting 12 months of paid parental leave to bring it closer to comparable wealthy countries like Denmark and Canada. "You have to look at the broader context for families. We're in an economy where it takes most families two incomes to put a roof over people's heads and food on the table," Ms Gilchrist said. "It's not affordable to have a baby on one income. That's why paid parental policies are really important." Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said Senator Hanson's speech attacked abortion rights, childcare and paid parental leave. "One Nation is coming for women in this country," she said. "They don't want to help us both do our jobs and be mothers." Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the Liberal party had no plan to change paid parental leave and that One Nation's policy was yet to be outlined. "This is the problem with what we heard — there was a lot of detail that wasn't clear," he said. "What is needed right now is a credible plan."