Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has played up the benefits of his $5.5 billion a year paid parental leave scheme for small business.
Mr Abbott made the pitch as he formally launched the coalition’s small business policy in the Liberal-held seat of Bennelong in Sydney’s northwest.
“We will do your paid parental payment work for you,” he told supporters on Monday.
Under the leave plan announced on Sunday, payments would be administered through the Family Assistance Office, which the coalition says will reduce the regulatory burden for businesses.
Under Labor’s scheme, small business has to do all the paper work for its staff.
The small business policy includes a raft of previously announced pledges.
They include scrapping the carbon tax, cutting company tax, rejecting Labor’s fringe benefits tax changes on cars and deferring for two years increases in the compulsory superannuation guarantee.
It plays up the coalition’s pledge to reduce red and green business tape as also benefiting small business.
“We will give you $1 billion a year of red tape costs reductions,” Mr Abbott.
All working women who have a baby will be covered by the parental leave, whether they are in full-time, part-time or casual work, if the coalition wins government.