In 2022, the Australian Government started a review of the Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973 (Cth) (ML Act). The ML Act provides maternity leave entitlements to Australian Public Service employees. This was the first review of the ML Act in over 40 years. It looked at:
- whether the ML Act is up to date and meets current expectations
- how the ML Act could be updated to improve support for new parents
- how the ML Act could improve gender equality and inclusion.
The Commissioner made a submission to the Review. The submission recommended reforms that would:
- improve gender equality outcomes
- make the ML Act consistent with other public sectors in Australia
- make the Australian Public Service a leader in gender-equal parental policies.
Most of the Commissioner's recommendations aligned with current parental leave entitlements in the Victorian Public Sector. Some recommendations went further.
Access further information about the Review of the ML Act on the Australian Government's website(opens in a new window).
Download and read the Commissioner's submission below.
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