✍️ 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 are taking that case to Parliament House. We want your name on the list we hand over.
Here For It. From Day One.
Read the new ‘More Time’ With Dad report
People who have signed the petition
-
Lauren Cripps signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-05 00:10:46 +1000
-
Valentina Munoz signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 22:50:02 +1000
-
Chelsea Lawther signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 21:55:36 +1000
-
Charlotte Shepherd signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 21:50:58 +1000
-
Jemima McDonald signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 21:35:19 +1000
-
Rufus Lowe signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 21:33:32 +1000
-
Valentina Di Stefano signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 21:27:08 +1000
-
Tahlia Collopy signed 2026-08-04 21:08:06 +1000
-
Emma Hollands signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 20:56:03 +1000
-
Fiona S signed 2026-08-04 20:55:47 +1000
-
Luci O'Connell signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 20:24:18 +1000
-
Paul Hibbert signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 19:58:15 +1000
-
Lucy George signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 19:24:00 +1000
-
Kai Stevenson signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 19:15:13 +1000
-
Ryan Lonergan signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 19:13:17 +1000
-
Zerlina Goodman-Lahz signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 19:10:43 +1000
-
Jac Landmark signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 19:10:26 +1000
-
Katherine Hickey signed 2026-08-04 19:07:23 +1000
-
Courtney Powell signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 18:47:39 +1000
-
Alex Breen signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 18:22:39 +1000
-
Isobel Friel signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 18:03:01 +1000
-
Russell Stubbs signed 2026-08-04 17:57:53 +1000
-
Alex Pitt signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:55:04 +1000
-
Alice Newport signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:48:59 +1000
-
Ted Barnett signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:48:41 +1000
-
Max Vogelaar signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:47:40 +1000
-
Sarah Jones signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:45:09 +1000
-
Honor Lambert signed 2026-08-04 17:35:48 +1000
-
Clancy Greening signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:27:07 +1000
-
Leah Dunnigan signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-04 17:16:44 +1000