Local Federal MP for Bonner, Ross Vasta, said the Coalition has listened to the local business community and acted to end the needless and pointless red tape and compliance burden imposed on employers under the Gillard Labor government’s paid parental leave scheme.

The Coalition introduced a Private Members’ Bill to have Centrelink’s Family Assistance Office directly make payments to eligible workers and to stop the Government turning employers into ‘PPL pay clerks’ after the first 6 months of the scheme and will have no impact on its timing.

‘It is not surprising that there has been such an out-cry against the Gillard Government’s demand that employers, both big and small, relieve the Government and Centrelink of its responsibility to administer the paid parental leave system.

‘The Government has failed to offer any compelling reason for forcing on employers pointless ‘PPL pay-clerk’ responsibilities’, said Mr Vasta.

Mr Vasta said the Gillard Government’s justifications and explanations as to why it thinks employers need this extra ‘PPL pay clerk’ responsibility and expense are feeble and completely unpersuasive.

‘Abandoning the idea that employers need to be the Government PPL ‘pay clerk’ would be a far more constructive way for the Gillard Government to ‘get closer’ to a common-sense position and bi-partisanship with the Coalition on the administration of the scheme’ said Ross Vasta.

The Coalition, business organisations and smaller employers have been united in calling on the Government to amend its scheme to relieve employers of the expense and red-tape of the Gillard Labor approach.

Mr Vasta said the only certain way of reducing the compliance burden, ‘pay clerk’ costs and the risk of additional payroll-related expenses is for Parliament to pass the Coalition’s Bill.

The Coalition’s Bill will be voted on in February.