Australian Industry Group (AIG) incoming chief executive Innes Willox said getting people, particularly women, back into work was a productivity issue and an issue well worth investigating.
"It goes to the heart of a productivity question that we face as a country about getting working parents, particularly working women, back into the workforce where they can contribute to their companies or their organisations," he told Sky News.
"We need to look at the costs, who would pay for this, how it would be done. We really need to look at the details.
"The Productivity Commission is a good vehicle to at least start this conversation."
Mr Willox said industry remained concerned about Mr Abbott's paid parental leave scheme, which would be funded by a levy on business.
"This is going to be an impost directly on industry at a time when we can least afford it. That is something that we would want to continue talking to the opposition about in the months and years ahead."
What do you think of the proposal?