✍️ 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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Megan Dwyer signed 2026-09-14 11:58:31 +1000
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Lauren Waldron signed 2026-09-14 11:57:11 +1000Two doting dads represent! 😀
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Mathias Toth Piller signed 2026-09-14 11:55:57 +1000
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Katie Rose signed 2026-09-14 11:29:39 +1000
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Cody Herring signed 2026-09-14 11:27:22 +1000
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Simon von Saldern signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-14 11:25:51 +1000
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Laura Anorov signed 2026-09-14 11:24:18 +1000
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Ebony Biden signed 2026-09-14 11:22:42 +1000
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Stefanie Stoelen signed 2026-09-14 11:21:14 +1000
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Bronte Hooper signed 2026-09-14 11:11:34 +1000
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Sarah Bowman signed 2026-09-14 11:03:49 +1000
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Wylie Dunn signed 2026-09-14 11:03:12 +1000
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Caitlin Smith signed 2026-09-14 10:51:20 +1000
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Lauren signed 2026-09-14 10:42:57 +1000
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Sarah Lever signed 2026-09-14 10:29:58 +1000
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Mitchell Jacobson signed 2026-09-14 10:23:44 +1000
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Samantha Porter signed 2026-09-14 10:22:52 +1000
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Ben Ellis signed 2026-09-14 10:17:20 +1000The best start we can give children is through strong relationships, and strong relationships with each of their parents. Australia ranks 34th out of 38 OECD countries for the level of paid parental leave available to each parent. We can do so much better, and it’s the least that Australian kids deserve
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Ella Neilson signed 2026-09-14 10:12:00 +1000
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Simone Redman-Jones signed 2026-09-14 10:02:15 +1000
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Alexis Carydis signed 2026-09-14 09:48:12 +1000
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Kyla Vetter signed 2026-09-14 09:28:22 +1000
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Ani aldridge signed 2026-09-14 09:25:53 +1000
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Chloe Baker signed 2026-09-14 09:22:58 +1000
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Annette Terranova signed 2026-09-14 09:18:36 +1000Yes to more time with Dads!
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Melissa Loughlin signed 2026-09-14 09:18:25 +1000
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Carlewis Hayden signed 2026-09-14 09:14:29 +1000
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Verity Donald signed 2026-09-14 09:13:01 +1000
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Kadeisha Harley signed 2026-09-14 09:12:42 +1000
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Andrew Shedden signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-09-14 09:07:22 +1000