Anthony Albanese meets with The Parenthood in Ballina

Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet families in The Parenthood community from Ballina and the Northern Rivers area, alongside CEO Georgie Dent, to discuss the government's paid parental leave changes.

Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet families in The Parenthood community from Ballina and the Northern Rivers area, alongside CEO Georgie Dent, to discuss the government's paid parental leave changes.

​“The paid parental leave reforms introduced by the Albanese government, including the expansion to 26 weeks by 2026, the inclusion of superannuation and increased flexibility, mark significant and welcome progress for families and children in Australia,” Ms Dent said.

​“While their situations are different, all of the parents and families here today know how essential paid parental leave is and the remarkable impact it can have. Every additional week of paid leave that families can access in the first year of a child’s life makes a profound difference - to the baby and parents.

​Today's meeting with local families comes off the expansion of paid parental leave to 26 weeks by 2026 - a legislative measure that successfully passed the Senate last month - and the Albanese government's introduction of superannuation payments on the government's paid parental leave scheme, set to commence from 1 July 2025.

“Every parent here today is grateful for the opportunity to speak directly with the Prime Minister about their own reality juggling their care responsibilities, with being able to financially provide for their families,” Ms Dent said.

“The Prime Minister’s willingness to engage with parents and acknowledge the importance of supporting children, families and parents in the early years is welcome.

“Reforming paid parental leave is one of the key levers in a government’s toolkit to influence caring patterns set in homes and families. In addition to being a key health policy, supporting parents to share the responsibilities of caregiving, an equitable paid parental leave policy is a game changer for mums, dads, and children.

“It is great for babies, it leads to improved mental health for mums and dads and it gives parents the ability to truly share the care. That better equips mums to return to work when they’re ready which boosts productivity.

The importance of quality, affordable early childhood education and care is another policy The Parenthood community will discuss.

"To truly advance towards gender equality, we need universal access to affordable early childhood education and care. It goes beyond simply balancing work and family; it's about ensuring equitable opportunities for all children and their parents.

"A comprehensive early learning policy is a 'win for all' issue: It's good for children, it's good for families, and it's good for the economy.

"This meeting with Prime Minister Albanese in Ballina underscores the shared recognition of the challenges parents face and the crucial role of government in driving meaningful change for families across the nation," Ms Dent said.