The conservatives (called the Liberal Party) are just as bad – they just proposed a Parental Leave policy of up to $75,000 (about $60,000 US) for 6 mths leave from work after having a baby, paid for by a 1.7% corporate tax on big businesses, redistributed by the government to individuals based on their earnings. Is that to encourage people to have more children? Who was it who said "One for Mum, one for Dad, and one for Australia?"
BTW, I recently read the William Stuart Long series, The Australians - I got all twelve volumes at the Goodwill. Very cool.