A first year every family can afford to share

1,461 signatures

1,461 of 2,500 goal

✍️ 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

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Recent responses

Samantha Goodman-Pearce signed 2026-09-14 05:57:04 +1000
Jessica Hansor signed 2026-09-14 03:56:21 +1000
Dean Rosario signed 2026-09-14 03:16:34 +1000
Keisha Rosario signed 2026-09-14 03:13:54 +1000
Joel Phillips signed 2026-09-14 00:00:32 +1000
Nicole signed 2026-09-13 22:48:00 +1000
Alana Sims signed 2026-09-13 22:35:27 +1000
Hithaishi Goonetilleke signed 2026-09-13 22:30:27 +1000
Jessica Bourne signed 2026-09-13 22:16:10 +1000
Annaliese Dillon signed 2026-09-13 22:11:58 +1000

Connection with both parents matters for baby and for them. Financial burden shouldn’t stand in the way of any parent taking leave.
Kelly Whittle signed 2026-09-13 22:04:03 +1000
Rachael Colwell signed 2026-09-13 21:54:05 +1000
Helena Macdonald signed 2026-09-13 21:53:37 +1000
Ashleigh Notley signed 2026-09-13 21:44:04 +1000
Ben Moore signed 2026-09-13 21:38:26 +1000
Timma Bushell signed 2026-09-13 21:15:22 +1000

Parenting should be 50/50 which means the laws need to make that possible. The first year with my son alone at home could have been a totally different experience if my husband had been able to be there. Instead everyone in our house was overwhelmed stressed, insanely sleep deprived and unhappy. We don’t have a village so we needed the option to have each other.
Taliya White signed 2026-09-13 21:11:38 +1000
Derryn Ardener signed 2026-09-13 21:11:27 +1000
Emily Burgess signed 2026-09-13 21:04:59 +1000

As a Child Protection worker, I see so many dads either not present or relying on Mum to do everything. This can only be good, increase attachment, put’s Dad in the conversation regarding parenting and will slowly kill society’s pressure on mums.
Larissa Lenton signed 2026-09-13 21:04:23 +1000
Tracey Laredo-Larkin signed 2026-09-13 21:00:08 +1000

Becoming/being a father is life changing and dads deserve the opportunity to be there from the very beginning to bond with their baby, support their partner, and share those precious early days together. Parenting is a partnership, and parental leave should recognise that.
Hayley Pike signed 2026-09-13 20:58:47 +1000

12mths paid at replacement wage (for mums & dads) is an investment in Australias future; the birth rate will increase. 4 weeks for dads is simply not enough, after having a preemie baby via c-section @ 34wks, I couldn’t drive for 6wks & luckily my husbands work is flexible – but no dad or mum should be in a position (in australia) to choose between work/earning a living & their new family, bonding with the baby & caring for their wife/partner.

Another key issue is that we earn good money, yet wonder how we could afford a 2nd baby…once you factor in unpaid leave, PPL from government at min. wage, $180/day OOP childcare x2 kids, average $1M ($7000/mth) Sydney mortgage…😅 crazy
Hayley Lovelock signed 2026-09-13 20:55:14 +1000
Dawn Moule signed 2026-09-13 20:51:47 +1000
Melissa Brown signed 2026-09-13 20:51:12 +1000
Will Koschel signed 2026-09-13 20:44:24 +1000
Hayley Kidd signed 2026-09-13 20:43:54 +1000

For the dads
Kirsty Wesener signed 2026-09-13 20:43:47 +1000
Kris Symons signed 2026-09-13 20:43:20 +1000
Belinda Symons signed 2026-09-13 20:42:10 +1000