The measures include extending the existing HK$20,000 bonus for a new baby for another three years after it expires as well as an extra HK$30,000 for every baby after the first.
Parents who buy a home within one year before the baby is born or two years after the birth will receive a HK$20,000 stamp duty deduction.
Judy Chan from the New People’s Party said the stamp duty deduction showed that the government is trying everything it can to support new parents.
“Besides education or healthcare, I think housing is also quite a main consideration for each family. It is quite a new concept for Hong Kong to have such measure. So I think any new parents, they would definitely welcome this measure,” she said.
“And I’m sure it will help a lot, at least it will send a really positive message and telling the society that the government is trying everything.”
DAB lawmaker Nixie Lam said alongside the cash incentives, she was pleased to see a greater emphasis placed on childcare services.
According to the Policy Address, the government will establish three new childcare centres and remove the quota for the School-based After School Care Service Scheme from the next academic year.
“The bonus is one of the ‘happy money’, happy lai see money, but most importantly is when they go to work.
“We’re talking about 70 percent of the parents (who) are at-work parents.
“They need to rely on either helpers or their parents or sometimes most importantly, if they don’t have other help they need to have some sort of government-funded community childcare facilities to help them to boost that confidence to have child-bearing.”
At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, the chief executive explained why the latest measures are tailored towards parents who already have a child, rather than those who have chosen to remain childless or are still undecided.
“I think we can help those who already have one child, then it will be much easier to encourage them to have a second child. That is why I want to put the resources at the most appropriate place, by emphasising the government policy of encouraging a second child,” Lee said.
