Paid Parental Leave Evaluation
This project is an evaluation of the Australian government’s Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme which commenced on January 1, 2011. The evaluation, which began in 2010, was commissioned by the then Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (now the Department of Social Services, DSS), and will be completed in early 2014. The project is led by Professor Bill Martin of ISSR and involves UQ researchers from ISSR, along with collaborators at ANU, the University of Melbourne, the University of Tasmania and the University of Sydney. The evaluation examines the operation of the PPL scheme, and its impact on a range of outcomes, including mothers’ and fathers’ leave taking, the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies, mothers labour force participation, and gender equity and work-life balance. The evaluation involves the collection and analysis of a large body of data through interviews, surveys and documentary analysis.
Aims
Conduct an evaluation of the Australian government’s Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Scheme which focuses on:
- The operation of the scheme
- The impact of the scheme on mothers’ and babies’ health and wellbeing
- The impact of the scheme on mothers’ labour force participation
- The impact of the scheme on gender equity and work-life balance
Project team
- Professor Bill Martin (UQ) - Project leader
- Dr Belinda Hewitt (UQ)
- Dr Mara Yerkes (UQ)
- Associate Professor Maria Zadoroznyj (UQ)
- Professor Janeen Baxter (UQ)
- Professor Mark Western (UQ)
- Professor Andrew Jones (UQ)
- Professor Gillian Whitehouse (UQ)
- Professor Marian Baird (University of Sydney)
- Professor Guyonne Kalb (University of Melbourne)
- Dr Lyndall Strazdins (ANU)
- Associate Professor Duncan McVicar (University of Melbourne)
- Associate Professor Margaret Walter (UTAS)
Project details
Duration: January 2010–January 2014
Partners: FaHCSIA
Funding: Australian Department of Social Services (DSS)
Contact: Dr Wojtek Tomaszewski (w.tomaszewski@uq.edu.au)