Tony Abbott has defended his about face on paid parental leave by insisting more parents wanted better childcare.
The federal government is planning to crack down on the practice "double-dipping" - where new mums access both their employer's scheme and one funded by taxpayers.
The measure is expected to save nearly $1 billion over the next four years.
The prime minister has been accused of abandoning women, especially in light of his now-dumped plan for six months' leave at full pay.
Mr Abbott though insists he is still a strong supporter of paid parental leave.
"I have worn a lot of political heat over the years because of my support for paid parental leave," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
But he said, having listened to families during the past year, he now believes the real need is for better childcare.
"It was pretty clear to me and to my colleagues the real priority of the families of Australia," he said.
Investing in childcare was not just good social policy but good economic policy as well because it unlocked people's creativity.
Mr Abbott said it didn't seem right that parents should get paid by both the government and their employer.
But Labor's Jenny Macklin, the architect of the existing scheme, says that's exactly how it was designed.
"We wanted to make sure that the basic scheme is built on by top-ups from employers," she told reporters at Parliament House.
Labor will oppose the change while the Greens have expressed their dislike but are yet to finalise a position.
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