2026 Policy Address | Kwan Ho-ming calls to extend statutory maternity and paternity leave; Fan Hoi-kit urges increasing the newborn baby allowance to 30,000 yuan

The latest Policy Address is undergoing public consultation. Several lawmakers met with the Chief Executive today (2nd) to submit their opinions. Many continued to make suggestions on encouraging childbirth. Election Committee constituency lawmaker Junius Ho suggested considering optimizing and extending the current statutory maternity leave and paternity leave, and studying the introduction of Singapore's 'shared parental leave,' where couples can freely coordinate and allocate paid parental leave.

The three-year, 20k new baby bonus scheme will expire on October 24 this year. Election Committee constituency lawmaker Dennis Fan suggested making the bonus permanent and, in response to inflation and fiscal conditions, moderately increasing it to 30k per newborn, sending a clear signal to society of the government's long-term support for childbirth. He also suggested that the government study including the cost of confinement nanny services as a deductible item under salaries tax, complementing the existing child allowance, so that families who can afford such services can get moderate tax relief.

Policy Address 2026 | Junius Ho proposes relaunching tax base broadening consultation

On taxation, Junius Ho suggested that the SAR government, in conjunction with major local chambers of commerce, accounting and tax professional bodies, think tanks, and academics, relaunch the research previously conducted by past administrations on 'imposing new taxes and broadening the tax base.' In response to various new tax proposals put forward by the public and academia in recent years, including targeted luxury taxes, new consumption taxes, and internationally common capital gains taxes and interest taxes, a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis should be conducted with a scientific and pragmatic attitude. The study should seek space to optimize the tax structure while balancing the protection of basic livelihood welfare for the middle class and grassroots, and maintaining Hong Kong's core competitiveness of a 'simple and low tax system.'

Policy Address 2026 | Chan Man-yee proposes retaining poverty line as internal reference tool: poverty line and targeted poverty alleviation are not opposed

Social welfare sector lawmaker Chan Man-yee suggested retaining the poverty line as an internal reference tool. She emphasized that the poverty line and targeted poverty alleviation are not opposed; the former helps grasp macro trends, while the latter helps precisely allocate resources, and the two complement each other.