✍️ 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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Elly Whisson signed 2026-09-24 21:20:24 +1000
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Alexandra Cowley signed 2026-09-24 21:19:08 +1000
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Harrison Crebert signed 2026-09-24 21:11:02 +1000
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Francesca signed 2026-09-24 21:08:28 +1000
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Olivia Strelein signed 2026-09-24 20:58:43 +1000
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Larissa signed 2026-09-24 20:58:18 +1000
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Amy Erlandsen signed 2026-09-24 20:54:35 +1000
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Scott Ryan signed 2026-09-24 20:48:13 +1000This is a no brainer. Do it and do it now
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Rhianon Crombie signed 2026-09-24 20:46:54 +1000
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Susan Mitchell signed 2026-09-24 20:45:48 +1000
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Blair Edmondson signed 2026-09-24 20:45:45 +1000
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Anna Harris signed 2026-09-24 20:43:45 +1000
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Sarah Brown signed 2026-09-24 20:36:36 +1000
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Kristelle Hampton signed 2026-09-24 20:30:29 +1000
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Claudia Gregory signed 2026-09-24 20:28:38 +1000
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Nicole P signed 2026-09-24 20:28:33 +1000
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Amber Luton signed 2026-09-24 20:28:28 +1000
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Ana Martha Alves signed 2026-09-24 20:17:28 +1000
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Sarah signed 2026-09-24 20:12:25 +1000
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Phoebe Mooney signed 2026-09-24 20:11:33 +1000
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Cameron Bain signed 2026-09-24 20:09:53 +1000
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Katie Tully signed 2026-09-24 20:09:17 +1000Support the Australian families
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Jessica Wilson signed 2026-09-24 20:07:55 +1000
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Alyssah Seaegg signed 2026-09-24 20:06:50 +1000
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Hayley Bourke signed 2026-09-24 20:06:04 +1000
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Amanda Webb signed 2026-09-24 20:00:50 +1000
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Kate Moloney signed 2026-09-24 19:59:09 +1000
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Danielle Crudeli signed 2026-09-24 19:57:06 +1000
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Kristy Ansell signed 2026-09-24 19:55:58 +1000
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Brooke Izatt signed 2026-09-24 19:54:44 +1000