Key changes under women's finance plan

Making paid parental leave more flexible is among changes involved in a $109 million federal government plan to improve women's financial independence.

WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY PLAN

CHANGES TO PAID PARENTAL LEAVE:

* Currently, parents need to have worked at least 330 hours in 10 of the 13 months prior to their child's birth, with a break of no more than eight weeks between two working days.

But under the changes, parents will still qualify if they'd had a break of up to 12 months, and be able to move their work test period if they had to stop work early due to a workplace hazard.

* Extra flexibility will also be added to the scheme, with families able to split their parental leave period into blocks.

An initial minimum of 12 weeks could be taken, with the remaining six weeks able to be claimed within two years of a birth or adoption.

SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FACED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

* The early release of superannuation is being extended for domestic violence victims, and the visibility of superannuation assets will be improved in family law proceedings.

* Further funding is going towards legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, to save them from being directly cross-examined by their perpetrators in family law matters.

HELPING WOMEN ENTREPRENUERS:

* A Future Female Entrepreneurs program will be established, in partnership with the private sector, to encourage women's entrepreneurship.

* A new grants program will also be created to help women entrepreneurs access finance.

* The Curious Minds program, aimed at encouraging high school girls to become involved in science and mathematics, will be extended.

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