Labor has taken the Abbott government to task over possible changes to its paid parental leave scheme while calling again for the "unfair and extravagant" policy to be dumped.
The government is considering diverting some of the scheme's $9.6 billion cost towards a broader childcare policy.
Payments to wealthier new parents would go towards new childcare programs in a bid to win over Senate crossbenchers who oppose the generous leave scheme.
Under the coalition plan, new mothers will get six months leave on full pay, capped at $50,000.
"If (Prime Minister Tony Abbott) walks away from it or waters it down, it will confirm (his) word means absolutely nothing," acting shadow families spokeswoman Claire Moore said in a statement on Wednesday.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon says he will back new funding for the struggling childcare sector, but would never support the parental leave scheme in its current form.
"The only thing that's going to placate me in terms of the PPL is if it's cryogenically frozen," he told Sky News.
A government spokeswoman said the coalition remained absolutely committed to its "fair-dinkum" scheme, aimed at improving the workforce participation of women.
The scheme remained on track to be rolled out from July 2015.
"(It) is consistent with community expectations and in-line with international approaches," she said in a statement to AAP.
Draft legislation is still being prepared for its introduction to parliament.
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