Thousands of families could miss out on paid parental leave
Linda Burney on ABC NSW Statewide Drive with Fiona Wyllie - Thursday, 23 April 2020
Using unused hotel rooms as temporary family violence accommodation
FIONA WYLLIE: I have Linda Burney, the opposition spokesperson for families, social services and preventing family violence. Good afternoon.
LINDA BURNEY: Good afternoon Fiona.
WYLLIE: You are concerned that this prolonged self-isolation could be dangerous in situations where there is violence in the home.
BURNEY: Well, it’s very demonstrated, particularly from overseas examples and also from what we’re hearing from across the sector, that it is dangerous. I mean, we knew what a problem domestic violence was before coronavirus. And then you add on top of that increased sales of alcohol. You add on top of that worries about money; job security – being, living in conditions where you can’t very much get away from each other. It’s really a very difficult recipe.
WYLLIE: You’ve got some ideas of ways that this could be counteracted, what are they?
BURNEY: I do. I mean, when you look at places like France for example, they’re using unsold or unused motel rooms. And there are really many of those around. Working closely with peak domestic violence organisations, but also in France there is a code word – and the pharmacy guild has been enlisted to – if a woman goes to a chemist, and you use a code-word, then the police are contacted. And she can get help. I mean, one of the issues …
WYLLIE: … A bit like we have the Angela at bars and nightclubs – you ask if Angela’s there.
BURNEY: Yes, I’m not very familiar with that, but I’m hearing what you’re saying. And it would be a very similar thing. It’s a warning that something is not correct. But the other thing of course is that the investment in telephony services – which is what the government is talking about, is all well and good, but if you can’t – particularly with COVID-19 – if you can’t get to a phone and speak confidentially, then you’re really quite stuck.
WYLLIE: Now we are seeing those hotels and empty motel rooms being used for homeless people and also for those people who have to self quarantine after being overseas. You’d like to see a similar system in place for families who need support?
BURNEY: I absolutely would. I think the NSW Government – sorry, not the NSW Government, but some NGOs in New South Wales, were undertaking to set something up with unused hotel rooms. But it seems to me that this is a very creative way in which the government and the sector could work together to provide a safe place for women and children.
How do you self-isolate when you have no fixed address? Challenges facing remote Aboriginal communities
WYLLIE: We’re seeing issues on the New South Wales-Queensland border where closures are impacting the smaller roads that are connecting the two states, very much on Indigenous residents who have no fixed address and living in overcrowded housing. What sort of threat is COVID-19 posing to Aboriginal communities?
BURNEY: The Labor Party Indigenous – or First Nations caucus committee has been convening for the last three or four weeks, discussing this or talking to state and territory governments, talking to compatriots; getting briefings from the government; but also working closely on a state and territory level. What you’re highlighting Fiona is a really serious problem. For First Nations people, there are a number of very serious health issues. We know that Aboriginal people over the age of 50 are recommended to self-isolate. But the big issue is the issue that you’ve identified, and that is overcrowded housing and the impossibility of self-isolation. And in some cases, hygiene, because of a lack of clean water and available food security.
Thousands of families could miss out on paid parental leave
WYLLIE: And the government has released a range of measures to cushion the financial impact of self-isolation measures. But you believe they’ve forgotten women who may not now be eligible for parental leave?
BURNEY: I’m very worried about this. And I’m very – and as is the rest of my party – very pleased to see the JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments. I think that JobKeeper has missed out casuals and people on a temporary visa. But it’s actually – now this sounds complex, but I’ll try and make it as simple as I possibly can. I’m worried about the effect of COVID-19 on thousands of families who are eligible for paid parental leave. So the way in which paid parental leave – sorry, the amount that you get – is determined by how many weeks you work, prior to the birth of a baby. And if you are put off or let go and you’re coming up for paid parental leave. It may be that you don’t qualify because you haven’t worked enough hours to actually get the payment. And this could actually mean that some families are up to $15,000 worse off. And I think it’s a really really serious issue. I don’t think it’s deliberate. I just think …
WYLLIE: … It’s the circumstances of what’s happening.
BURNEY: It’s the circumstances of – the good thing about that though is that Anne Ruston who is the minister – through an amendment at the last sitting of parliament, is able to change this without having to come back through a legislated process. And I’m really urging the government to look at this. To think about the circumstances. And think about the impact it might have on people eligible for paid parental leave.
WYLLIE: Linda Burney, thank you for your time.
ENDS
LINDA BURNEY
TRANSCRIPT - THURSDAY, 23 APRIL 2020