✍️ Add your name to give every baby the first year they deserve.
A baby's first year lays the foundation for the rest of their life.
On 1 July, Australia expanded paid parental leave to 26 weeks, with four of those weeks reserved for fathers and partners. That was a genuine win, and it was hard fought.
Four weeks is a start. It isn't a finish.
The scheme is paid at minimum wage — around half what an average full-time worker earns. For most families it doesn't stretch to a year, and it doesn't stretch to two parents.
So instead of choosing how they want to share their baby's first year, parents are forced to make financial decisions. One parent stays home. The other goes back to work. Patterns that last for years are set before families ever had a real choice.
To be clear about something: this is not leave taken from mums. It's leave added for dads. Every week a father is home in that first year is a week a mother isn't doing it alone.
Dads are main characters in family life, not cameos. It's time our policy settings said so.
It doesn't have to be this way.
The Parenthood is campaigning for 12 months of paid parental leave at a replacement wage, with dedicated leave for both parents, so every family can afford to share their baby's first year.
On Monday 7 September, dads, kids and supporters took that case to Parliament House.
Here For It. From Day One.
Read the new ‘More Time’ With Dad report
People who have signed the petition
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Brooke Perry signed 2026-09-24 09:35:05 +1000
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Shaunii Wilson signed 2026-09-24 09:33:59 +1000Yes, all I can say is yes!!
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Siobhan Ananin signed 2026-09-24 09:33:38 +1000Thank you for this fight
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Christine Howard signed via Wynnie Nwoga 2026-09-24 09:31:19 +1000
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Bogi Kohari signed 2026-09-24 09:26:34 +1000Do
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Sameria Adomako signed via Wynnie Nwoga 2026-09-24 09:25:15 +1000I sign this petition because we deserve a 12months paid parental leave.
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Bethany Curtis signed 2026-09-24 09:21:32 +1000
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Ashlea Sealey signed 2026-09-24 09:21:07 +1000
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Alex Sales signed 2026-09-24 09:19:47 +1000
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Murry Aldred signed 2026-09-24 09:11:12 +1000Fulltime care with their parent(s) is essential for all children in the first 12mths to 3 years. If the first 12mths can be supported that would represent a significant contribution to each child’s development.
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Sophie Mitchell signed 2026-09-24 09:02:23 +1000
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Judy Dorotan signed 2026-09-24 09:01:58 +1000
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Libby Osborne signed 2026-09-24 08:58:12 +1000
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Kestin Geraghty signed 2026-09-24 08:55:22 +1000
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Amanda Alessi signed 2026-09-24 08:44:11 +1000
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Meagan Garvey signed 2026-09-24 08:40:17 +1000
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Amelia Estatheo signed 2026-09-24 08:39:26 +1000
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Shayana Bali signed 2026-09-24 08:36:59 +1000
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Matthew Uyanna signed via Wynnie Nwoga 2026-09-24 08:24:32 +1000This is very important for all Mothers in Australia
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Bianca Linder-Patton signed 2026-09-24 08:23:22 +1000
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Rosie Talintyre signed 2026-09-24 08:22:26 +1000
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Jillian Melville signed 2026-09-24 08:21:59 +1000
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Wynnie Nwoga signed 2026-09-24 08:14:17 +1000The guilt I feel losing my baby at 8 months, I had to return to work after the 6 months paid leave and losing her 2 months after returning to work will hurt me forever. Babies deserve their parents undivided attention atleast for their first 12 months. My husband never got the chance to use his parental leave until she passed. No parents has to go through this.
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Brooke Karam signed 2026-09-24 08:10:09 +1000
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Isabelle Hayter signed 2026-09-24 08:03:36 +1000
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loic Fougere signed 2026-09-24 07:57:17 +1000
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Alana Ambados signed 2026-09-24 07:44:05 +1000
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Amy Johns signed 2026-09-24 07:37:43 +1000
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Amber Swiety signed 2026-09-24 07:16:05 +1000
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Georgia Peters signed 2026-09-24 07:06:32 +1000