✍️ 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 Ansell signed 2026-09-08 08:12:10 +1000
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Brittany Varley signed 2026-09-08 07:39:57 +1000
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Elizabeth Williams signed 2026-09-08 07:34:19 +1000
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jasmine pittana signed 2026-09-08 07:32:20 +1000
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Lauren Munro signed 2026-09-08 07:31:45 +1000
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Rabia Zia signed 2026-09-08 06:15:30 +1000
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James Dressler smith signed 2026-09-08 06:01:32 +1000
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Emily Dickinson signed 2026-09-08 03:35:59 +1000
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Naomi-jade Loau signed 2026-09-08 01:57:04 +1000
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Kalina Watts signed 2026-09-08 00:45:55 +1000
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Josie Peake signed 2026-09-07 23:56:13 +1000My husband is a police officer and decided we couldn’t afford for him to take the 2 weeks govt leave as it is less then half his wage and wouldn’t put a dent in our mortgage. So he decided to take all 6 weeks annual leave instead, meaning he had to return to working full time when our baby was 4 weeks old. Lucky we have good family support but I as a mum suffered because of it. Mums shouldn’t have to do it alone. A disgrace really. Australia can and should do better. For our babies. For our future.
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Jen Ellison signed 2026-09-07 23:12:45 +1000
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Molly Byers signed 2026-09-07 23:11:49 +1000
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Kristine Karley signed 2026-09-07 22:52:59 +1000The lack of how far we have come in equality was the biggest shock to me as a mother. We carry the load, yet in the workplace still output the same. The reality is yes women can have it all, but we also have to do it all, let’s change the culture back to it’s a village, including the men.
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Emily Willey signed 2026-09-07 22:52:57 +1000
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Connor Benfield signed 2026-09-07 22:50:52 +1000
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Mikaela Leworthy signed 2026-09-07 22:29:13 +1000HERE FOR IT! Second Bub on the way so as parents we know how important the first 12 months are!
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Rea Richardson signed 2026-09-07 22:28:19 +1000
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Alannah Rudkin signed 2026-09-07 22:24:33 +1000
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Mindy Jenkins signed 2026-09-07 22:15:45 +1000
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Sarah Holloway signed 2026-09-07 22:07:57 +1000
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Susan Flanagan signed 2026-09-07 22:06:22 +1000
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Leah Tinker signed 2026-09-07 22:04:42 +1000Parents deserve choices in career AND care. Gender should make no difference.
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Tom Kershaw signed 2026-09-07 21:53:18 +1000Wish I could have had this for my three! Every Dad needs more time in those early days. Let’s get it through!
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Jess Vogel signed 2026-09-07 21:35:51 +1000
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Laura Duran signed 2026-09-07 21:34:51 +1000I support paid parental leave for mum and dad!
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Catherine Stephens signed 2026-09-07 21:29:10 +1000
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Chris Olsson signed 2026-09-07 21:25:16 +1000
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Gabrielle Modderman signed 2026-09-07 21:20:15 +1000
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Jessica Holloway signed 2026-09-07 21:16:05 +1000