✍️ 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
-
Steph Wheeler signed 2026-09-23 06:00:45 +1000
-
Jenny Harrison signed 2026-09-23 04:12:05 +1000
-
Marie Lafferty signed 2026-09-22 21:27:07 +1000
-
Lisa Counsell signed 2026-09-22 20:48:30 +1000
-
Adrian Boothman signed 2026-09-22 20:43:33 +1000
-
Alessia Masson signed 2026-09-22 17:37:29 +1000
-
Madison Browne signed 2026-09-22 15:39:59 +1000
-
Erin Mendygral signed 2026-09-22 11:02:35 +1000Two Doting Dads
-
Samantha Atkins signed 2026-09-22 10:43:58 +1000
-
Bella Rylands signed 2026-09-22 06:24:00 +1000
-
Chantal Hart signed 2026-09-22 06:20:39 +1000
-
Fiona McCandless signed 2026-09-21 20:15:41 +1000my husband returning to work (lucky enough to work from home), was the hardest period post-partum for me. We both would have liked more time as a family, navigating our new life.
-
Meg Cottam signed 2026-09-21 20:12:26 +1000For Matty J & Ash
-
Shenae Bent signed 2026-09-21 17:17:30 +1000
-
Molly Forster-Little signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-21 11:13:11 +1000
-
Monique Lush signed 2026-09-21 07:39:40 +1000
-
Danica Berjanovic signed 2026-09-21 02:53:23 +1000
-
Deb Hornby signed 2026-09-20 22:15:49 +1000100% agree for this change
-
Sarah Bourne signed 2026-09-20 17:13:01 +1000
-
Lauren Nicholas signed 2026-09-20 11:53:51 +1000
-
Alesha Mcnamara signed 2026-09-20 09:22:09 +1000
-
Juliana Carter signed 2026-09-20 09:16:51 +1000This is so beneficial for both parents especially for mums who don’t have support or are experiencing postnatal issues.
-
Previn Pillay signed 2026-09-20 07:08:36 +1000
-
Steven Hutcheson signed 2026-09-19 19:57:53 +1000Absolutely 1000%
-
Rosanna A signed 2026-09-19 17:33:03 +1000
-
Amy Diplock signed 2026-09-19 16:16:26 +1000
-
Zachary Flook signed 2026-09-19 14:35:51 +1000Heck yes! No brainer.
-
Cheyenne Schwugier signed 2026-09-19 11:38:56 +1000
-
Kate Maslin signed 2026-09-19 07:28:33 +1000
-
Tahlee Caprara signed 2026-09-19 07:27:42 +1000