28 Jan 2014

Labour's baby policy applies to wealthy

9:16 pm on 28 January 2014

The Labour Party's $60 a week baby bonus policy would apply to families earning much more than $150,000 a year.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has confirmed that the income threshold would apply to what a family expects to earn in the year ahead, not what they earned in the year before the birth.

Under Labour's policy, it is possible that families earning well over $200,000 before the birth of their child would be eligible for the benefit.

Mr Cunliffe said on Tuesday parents would have to certify what their expected income is for the year ahead from the date of the birth. Their previous income would not count.

He said Labour's support would become much more targeted once the baby turned one.

He also confirmed that all parents receiving paid parental leave - which Labour intends to extend to 26 weeks - would not get the baby benefit at the same time.