Expansion of paid parental leave welcome - more ambition needed

The Parenthood has welcomed the introduction of the Federal Government’s bill to incrementally roll out an expanded paid parental leave as a positive step for families and children - but more ambition is needed.

The Parenthood has welcomed the introduction of the Federal Government’s bill to incrementally roll out an expanded paid parental leave as a positive step for families and children.

From 1 July 2026, every family with a new baby can receive six months of paid parental leave, four weeks of which must be taken by the non-primary carer. Parents will also be allowed to take some of this leave concurrently while single parents will be eligible for the full 26 weeks of paid leave.

Parenthood interim CEO Jessica Rudd said, “A new baby is life-changing and paid parental leave allows parents to bond with their new arrival and adjust in that first year, while providing critical financial support.

“It’s smart economic policy, keeping parents connected to workplaces and helping address workforce shortages. Increasing paid parental leave to more adequate levels enables parents, particularly women, to re-enter the workforce after having children and contribute to the nation’s economic growth.

“The Parenthood supports clever policy levers that encourage both parents to take paid parental leave and shift the culture, making it better for children, mums and dads.

“We think the Federal Government should ramp up its ambition with an expansion of the paid parental leave scheme to 52 weeks, to be equally shared between parents where there are two carers.

“The Parenthood would welcome lifting the rate of payment from minimum wage to a replacement wage. We also look forward to future announcements about superannuation being paid on parental leave to afford women a more equal retirement nestegg, which is currently drained by a lifetime of caring for others,” Ms Rudd said.