Overview
- The bill cleared the Senate without amendment on Monday, finalising its passage through Parliament.
- The amendment to the Fair Work Act guarantees access to employer-funded paid parental leave after a stillbirth or neonatal death and bans cancellation of pre-approved leave.
- Workplaces can keep or negotiate more generous parental leave arrangements, with the law setting a minimum standard rather than replacing agreements.
- The change was prompted by Priya’s mother, whose leave was revoked five days after her six-week-old daughter died, and a petition that drew more than 30,000 signatures.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister Amanda Rishworth said the law provides financial certainty and clarity, with AIHW data citing six stillbirths daily and two newborn deaths and more than 3,000 affected families in 2022.