✍️ 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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Kelly Vincent signed 2026-09-16 19:47:24 +1000 -
Kellie Meehan signed 2026-09-16 19:31:53 +1000 -
Jake Senior signed 2026-09-16 19:29:00 +1000Proud Doter -
Kayla rogers signed 2026-09-16 19:23:51 +1000Doter! -
Nicholas Lintzeris signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-16 18:30:32 +1000 -
Felicity Park signed 2026-09-16 17:55:11 +1000 -
Alex Castator signed 2026-09-16 17:48:27 +1000 -
Alana O'Neill signed 2026-09-16 17:45:52 +1000 -
Laia Fotofili signed 2026-09-16 17:37:57 +1000 -
Beth Fotofili signed 2026-09-16 17:26:16 +1000Doter -
Tessa Hutchins signed 2026-09-16 16:55:30 +1000 -
Sarah Kop signed 2026-09-16 16:44:31 +1000Proud Doter x -
Lauren Mapstone signed 2026-09-16 16:40:06 +1000Doter -
Kristy Davidson signed 2026-09-16 16:08:54 +1000 -
Sarah Gapp signed 2026-09-16 16:00:06 +1000Doter -
Emily Hendley signed 2026-09-16 15:32:54 +1000Doter -
Julia Sillence signed 2026-09-16 14:41:31 +1000Very passionate about parental leave being a decision that is about family NOT finances -
Jacinta Dwyer signed 2026-09-16 14:41:01 +1000 -
Amy Sinclair signed 2026-09-16 14:28:37 +1000Doter -
Rachel Ayoub signed 2026-09-16 14:06:47 +1000 -
Ryan Wake signed 2026-09-16 13:50:14 +1000 -
Jase Campbell signed 2026-09-16 13:35:03 +1000 -
Tammy Campbell signed 2026-09-16 13:33:53 +1000 -
Jordan Davis signed 2026-09-16 13:22:33 +1000my partner took LSL for both the kids and had a few weeks off, without that he wouldn’t of been able to take much time off -
Jess Freeman signed 2026-09-16 13:00:31 +1000Proud Doter and supporter. You guys are so admirable! -
Maddy James signed 2026-09-16 12:48:38 +1000 -
Katrina Lee signed 2026-09-16 12:35:08 +1000Doter -
Natasha Harmer signed 2026-09-16 12:34:19 +1000 -
Abi Serafin signed 2026-09-16 12:13:24 +1000 -
Tayia Modolo signed 2026-09-16 12:10:41 +1000
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