A policy on the family should not be about whether or not divorce should be introduced, but about creating the proper economic and social conditions for families to thrive, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said this morning.
Speaking at a GWU May 1 activity on the theme Family and Politics, the Labour leader said everyone in local politics favoured the family, and the family should be part of economic policy.
The government, he said, had spent good money on fountains in squares and was spending more on City Gate and the new parliament, when one of the biggest challenges the country faced was the sustainability of pensions.
Once the pensions reform was introduced five years ago, one had to wonder why another reform was being contemplated again, he said.
The key to sustainable pensions, he said, was job creation, particularly an increase in the female participation rate in the labour sector. But working conditions had to be such that ecouraged women to work.
Dr Muscat complained that childcare centres were not afforable for many mothers who wished to work, particularly those who received a minimum wage.
Replying to various questions, Dr Muscat said a Labour government would impliment a plan to stop further accumulation of the national debt, although the existing debt, which grew over 25 years, could not be wiped out in two or three years.
He said the Opposition was never so effective, having brought the governemnt with its back to the wall on a number of issues such as the compensation being given to ministers and the divorce issue.
PN REACTION
In a reaction, the PN said the Leader of the Opposition was saying that there should be adequate pensions, but was opposing pension reform. When the reform was launched five years ago, it was clearly declared that an analysis by a working group had to be carried out in five years' time.
Dr Muscat either did not know anything about the pension reform process, or he did not care.
As for family policies, the PN pointed out that it was this government that had made jobs its priority and had safeguarded jobs amidst a severe global economic downturn. It also reduced income tax for mothers who returned to work and opened childcare centres.