✍️ 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
-
Georgia Davey signed 2026-09-07 06:12:29 +1000
-
Emily Franco signed 2026-09-07 05:09:08 +1000
-
Naba Alfayadh signed 2026-09-07 04:54:43 +1000
-
Chelsea Skoumbourdis signed 2026-09-06 21:53:36 +1000
-
Jana Drummond signed 2026-09-06 21:42:36 +1000
-
Melissa Ramsey signed 2026-09-06 21:40:53 +1000
-
Daisy Arnold signed 2026-09-06 21:07:36 +1000
-
Brad Cubitt signed 2026-09-06 21:04:48 +1000
-
Alexandra Cornell signed 2026-09-06 20:54:59 +1000
-
Rachel Williams signed 2026-09-06 20:45:06 +1000
-
Eliza Shelton signed 2026-09-06 20:40:26 +1000
-
Amelia Wall signed 2026-09-06 20:19:16 +1000
-
Rebecca Goodhue signed 2026-09-06 20:15:02 +1000
-
Priya O'Dwyer signed 2026-09-06 20:10:55 +1000
-
Ahmed Tohamy signed 2026-09-06 19:39:24 +1000
-
Kristina Smith signed 2026-09-06 19:25:01 +1000
-
Tiana Morgan signed 2026-09-06 19:17:35 +1000
-
Rachel Delany signed 2026-09-06 19:10:18 +1000
-
Dean Hopkinson signed via Nicole Hopkinson 2026-09-06 18:47:21 +1000
-
Alanna Jordon signed 2026-09-06 18:38:26 +1000
-
Jane Bourke signed 2026-09-06 18:24:33 +1000
-
Sinead Dempsey signed 2026-09-06 18:22:08 +1000
-
Nicole Hopkinson signed 2026-09-06 18:06:36 +1000
-
Chris Goold signed 2026-09-06 18:05:09 +1000
-
Julia Ridout signed 2026-09-06 17:59:20 +1000
-
Tahnee Ashworth signed 2026-09-06 17:07:18 +1000
-
Brittany Jaques signed 2026-09-06 16:50:02 +1000
-
Kimberly Spragg signed 2026-09-06 16:29:07 +1000We can do better
-
Sarah Pinnington signed 2026-09-06 16:28:17 +1000
-
Laura Ryan signed 2026-09-06 16:21:55 +1000