The Coalition has been forced into defensive mode after it was revealed two senior members of government had “double dipped” under the current paid parental leave scheme.

One of the government’s key proposals in Tuesday’s budget was to modify the paid parental leave scheme to prevent new mothers receiving payments from their employer and the government.

However, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have since conceded their families both benefited from the current scheme.





Social Services Minister Scott Morrison is also under fire after saying he thought the current scheme was a “rort” in many cases.