Cloncurry councillor Damien McGee says he is not against paid parental leave despite voting against the policy in a Cloncurry Shire Council meeting last month.
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On Tuesday February 19, council moved a motion that council accept the Paid Parental Leave Policy which included 14 weeks paid leave.
The policy was passed by three of the five sitting councillors - Mayor Greg Campbell and Crs Vicky Campbell and Brad Rix, with Deputy Mayor Dane Swalling and Councillor Damien McGee voting against the policy.
According to the council minutes Crs Swalling and McGee voted against it because "they do not believe in businesses paying parental leave."
Mr McGee told the North West Star he was not against the Parental Leave Policy he was against rate payers having to pay the leave.
"Things like staff wages, salaries, operations of water and sewer networks is funded by rates. Council gets a million dollar grant each year to help run the council but at the end of the day rates makes up a large portion of the operating budget," Cr McGee said.
"If expenses keep increasing then you either have to cut services or increase the rates, and I am against increasing the rates.
"The Federal Government introduced Paid Parental Leave and I believe they should reimburse councils and businesses to financially support employees going on Parental Leave."
Cr Swalling agreed with Cr McGee saying he was happy for council employees to get 12 months off without pay.
"In this term of council I am an advocate for trying to keep council costs down and at the cost of 14 weeks parental leave will end up falling onto the ratepayers," Cr Swalling said.
"At the end of the day, rate payers end up paying for this I don't think they would appreciate their rates going up to pay for council staff parental leave."
Cloncurry mayor Greg Campbell said council had previously not had a policy to support families at that important time of their lives, the birth of a child.
"As a community, we push to attract and retain families to town, but council itself hasn't been leading by example," Cr Campbell said.
“Council competes with other government agencies, who offer a range of incentives. We needed a structure that offers a genuine career opportunity for our local women and it makes sense to move with the times.
"I want our local women to have the support and assurance, that having a career at council does not create a burden of choosing between a career or a family.”
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Samantha Campbell
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
