Pauline Hanson says parental leave will force small businesses to ‘fold’ – despite no law forcing employers to pay

Pauline Hanson says small businesses will “fold” under the cost of providing paid parental leave, as Labor suggested the One Nation leader didn’t understand how the policy worked. It is not compulsory for employers to pay parental leave entitlements in Australia, though most businesses do provide it and employees are entitled to 12 months of unpaid leave. Hanson was criticised last week for suggesting parents taking time off work to care for newborn babies should not have their wages paid by employers, telling the National Press Club parental leave was the reason for the gender pay gap. “If women take time off and they are not paid their wages because they’re not working, fair enough,” Hanson said last week. “Why should business pay? But they’re not at work. That’s the difference. That’s why the pay gap is there.” Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email She attempted to clarify the comments on Tuesday, telling the Seven Network that it was “OK” for the government to pay parental leave but the cost was too much for small business operators. “It’s up to companies if they want to have it in their policy to give it to their workers,” she said. “So there’s no way, shape, or form that I am actually saying to get rid of it. I think it’s been very beneficial to women to get back into the workforce. So that was totally taken completely out of context.” “There are businesses that cannot afford it. It’s OK for government, taxpayers pay for it. …