✍️ 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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Rosanna A signed 2026-09-19 17:33:03 +1000
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Amy Diplock signed 2026-09-19 16:16:26 +1000
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Zachary Flook signed 2026-09-19 14:35:51 +1000Heck yes! No brainer.
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Cheyenne Schwugier signed 2026-09-19 11:38:56 +1000
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Kate Maslin signed 2026-09-19 07:28:33 +1000
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Tahlee Caprara signed 2026-09-19 07:27:42 +1000
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Tan Nguyen signed 2026-09-18 22:29:04 +1000
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Luke Rosie signed 2026-09-18 21:46:48 +1000
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Nicole Grant signed 2026-09-18 21:00:04 +1000
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Ashlea Parkinson signed 2026-09-18 20:50:09 +1000
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Amanda Withers signed 2026-09-18 19:33:19 +1000
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Jake Roberts signed 2026-09-18 17:16:07 +1000
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Jessica Graham signed 2026-09-18 16:16:37 +1000Doter 🤍
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Clare Bell signed 2026-09-18 15:56:26 +1000
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Sophie Donnellan signed 2026-09-18 14:22:28 +1000
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Emma Passaniti signed 2026-09-18 13:36:39 +1000
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Louis Robertson signed 2026-09-18 12:50:19 +1000
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Elspeth signed 2026-09-18 12:46:01 +1000
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Nigel Walker signed 2026-09-18 11:56:55 +1000
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Chris Hysted-Adams signed 2026-09-18 11:53:04 +1000
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William Zerno signed 2026-09-18 11:52:08 +1000
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Sam Bygrave signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-18 11:49:02 +1000
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Tim Brooks signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-18 11:42:28 +1000
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Kristy Raub signed 2026-09-18 11:36:24 +1000
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Cassie May signed 2026-09-18 11:29:56 +1000Dotters unite
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Damien Petty signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-18 11:12:12 +1000Love getting around this ❤️
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Rachel Hogg signed 2026-09-18 10:46:49 +1000I listen to Matty J and Ash on two doting dads and they’re fab. What they’re doing for fathers and parents is outstanding. They are the reason behind why I am signing this petition today!
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Courtney Trigg signed 2026-09-18 10:28:50 +1000
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Emily Byass signed 2026-09-18 09:38:32 +1000
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Megan Holloway signed 2026-09-18 08:33:22 +1000