✍️ 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
-
Jacqueline Kaing signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-27 08:55:11 +1000
-
Madeleine Turner signed 2026-08-26 20:23:25 +1000I chose to take 12 months unpaid after my 1st, and lost the temp contract I was on because of it, chose the same again with my next 3 babies because they really weren’t ready for daycare. We are seriously struggling as a family financially long term because I put my children’s emotional well-being 1st
-
Max Costello signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-26 18:35:42 +1000
-
Christie Nolan signed 2026-08-26 17:14:36 +1000
-
Ebonie Elliot signed 2026-08-26 11:20:09 +1000
-
chloe karakitsos signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-26 09:16:38 +1000
-
Caitlin Bedford signed 2026-08-26 07:02:47 +1000
-
Meaghan Kirby signed 2026-08-25 22:52:36 +1000
-
Debbie Lai signed 2026-08-25 21:54:36 +1000
-
Steph Keenan signed 2026-08-25 21:53:15 +1000
-
MaryEllen Miller signed 2026-08-25 21:03:22 +1000
-
Enrik Sal signed 2026-08-25 15:49:38 +1000
-
Georgie Dent followed this page 2026-08-24 15:30:29 +1000
-
Olivia Corkhill signed 2026-08-24 13:42:06 +1000
-
Georgie Dent signed 2026-08-24 12:20:34 +1000
-
Jasmine Howells signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-08-22 09:36:51 +1000
-
Eva Sakalis signed 2026-08-19 08:44:30 +1000
-
Rebecca Hamilton signed 2026-08-18 11:45:27 +1000
-
Kadee Lowe signed 2026-08-18 09:26:26 +1000
-
Amber Clayburn signed 2026-08-17 23:31:14 +1000
-
Emily Ontatzis signed 2026-08-16 19:39:21 +1000
-
Nicci Holder signed 2026-08-16 07:22:54 +1000
-
Rebecca Frith signed 2026-08-15 22:16:51 +1000
-
Marie-Brigitte Mitchell signed 2026-08-14 15:32:30 +1000
-
Fay Calderone signed 2026-08-14 15:31:18 +1000Thank you for all you are doing to make the future a little easier for parents around Australia!
-
Dana Weston signed 2026-08-14 14:59:04 +1000
-
Sofia signed 2026-08-14 14:21:19 +1000
-
Haya Qutami signed 2026-08-14 12:52:47 +1000
-
Katie Rajasingham signed 2026-08-12 18:30:43 +1000If there is anything other than money that you need for help or advocacy I volunteer!
-
Angus Collins signed 2026-08-11 13:13:12 +1000