From what I've read, it means everyone will now get 18 weeks paid maternity leave at minimum wage which is about $540 a week which is paid by the government (actually your employer pays you but then THEY claim it back from the government). That's on top of what your employer currently offers. The employer also has to pay your super for those 18 weeks.

SO the way I see it is this ... it probably means that if your employer currently offers paid maternity leave it will probably be back on the table at the next EBA. They'll argue that their employees are getting an extra $500 a week from the government and they've been slugged with paying super too.

Personally, I don't think we should be able to double dip. It means I'll be getting 13 weeks paid maternity leave PLUS 18 weeks paid by the government.

Though I could have that all wrong and maybe the government only tops up the difference between what your employer pays and the 18 week time. Which would mean my employer stops paying at 13 weeks and then the government payment kicks in for another 5 weeks. But that's really now what it sounded like to me.

OK, I think I've spread enough confusion for one day!