✍️ 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
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Bernadette Mannion signed 2026-07-27 22:02:30 +1000
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Oliver Elliott signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-07-27 21:26:47 +1000
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Tom Cisack signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-07-27 21:26:32 +1000
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Peter Hehhie signed 2026-07-27 21:04:58 +1000
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Rebecca Murphy signed via Siobhan Moran-McFarlane 2026-07-27 20:25:40 +1000
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Ingrid Daams signed 2026-07-27 20:06:14 +1000The first year of a baby’s life is the most important & to have the best start in life baby’s should spend at home with a parent wether this is mum or dad – not only is this the best for baby it is best for mum & dad being able to care for their baby without the stresses of having to go to work which in turn delivers a better outcome for the child.
I hope to have future grand children but my profession as a Early childhood educator I witnessed mother’s in tears having to drop their 3 + month old baby off at care this stress ripples through to the child. Therefore I sign this petition to advocate for the baby’s of tomorrow. -
Suzy Morton signed 2026-07-27 19:40:23 +1000
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Louis Taylor signed 2026-07-27 19:39:39 +1000
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Emma Griffingham signed 2026-07-27 18:57:33 +1000
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Catherine Catherine signed 2026-07-27 18:28:45 +1000
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Anne Barker signed 2026-07-27 17:59:45 +1000I will support this all the way. Essential for healthy families and…. a healthy country.
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Claire Wood signed 2026-07-27 17:03:10 +1000
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Lavender Bates signed via Siobhan Moran-McFarlane 2026-07-27 16:58:12 +1000
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Susan Bryant signed 2026-07-27 16:56:38 +1000
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Ella Riguet signed 2026-07-27 16:38:06 +1000
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Caitlin Fricot-Hockey signed via Siobhan Moran-McFarlane 2026-07-27 16:36:13 +1000This would change lives for the better. It will enrich our children
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Charles Ablitt signed 2026-07-27 16:36:07 +1000
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Katie Johnston signed 2026-07-27 16:35:33 +1000
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Sophie Bament signed 2026-07-27 15:54:30 +1000
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Amanda Coulston signed 2026-07-27 15:46:50 +1000
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Stephanie Sponner signed 2026-07-27 15:38:37 +1000
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Alexandra Brown signed 2026-07-27 15:32:15 +1000
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Emily Kapac signed 2026-07-27 15:32:02 +1000
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Madeleine Huston signed 2026-07-27 15:30:56 +1000
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Bernadette W signed 2026-07-27 15:28:32 +1000
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Michael West signed 2026-07-27 15:26:59 +1000
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Raffi Jones signed 2026-07-27 15:26:41 +1000
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Riley Bennett signed 2026-07-27 15:09:51 +1000
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Siobhan Moran-McFarlane signed 2026-07-27 15:06:47 +1000Parental leave pushes many working families into financial hardship – if the government want people to have more children, they need to support that. In Australia in 2026 the cost of living is making the choice to have one or more children extremely difficult – even for those with good jobs. It’s unacceptable.
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Karl Williamson signed 2026-07-27 15:03:24 +1000