The value of parental leave is now widely accepted...a proposal for a more generous scheme funded by businesses...has turned the debate to who should fund parental leave...[While most Australians work in small business or the public sector, it is big business that has shown the most leadership on maternity leave, the Business Council of Australia says...Asking large businesses to subsidise a scheme for the rest of the economy could counteract the leadership they have shown, policy experts say...focusing the argument on who pays for a few months of leave detracts from the bigger problem of why so few businesses offer long-term family-friendly conditions. [refers to BP Australia, GM Holden, IKEA, UBS]