✍️ 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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Natalie Schaverien signed 2026-07-20 14:30:06 +1000
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Sarah Baker signed 2026-07-20 13:33:44 +1000
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Amy Morgan signed 2026-07-20 11:41:26 +1000As a first time Mum who was made redundant at 7 months pregnant I lost all my maternity leave and my financial safety net before my baby was even born. The mental stress this caused lives in me still. I had to change everything, all our plans were out the window. I felt completely alone.
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Catherine Errey signed 2026-07-20 11:13:27 +1000
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Kieran Hazelwood signed 2026-07-20 02:11:37 +1000
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J R signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-07-19 20:48:54 +1000
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Sarah Boyce signed 2026-07-19 18:47:12 +1000
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Amy Neave signed 2026-07-18 15:22:37 +1000
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Valentina Todoroska signed 2026-07-18 12:11:25 +1000
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Jason Pitt signed via Sebastian Costello 2026-07-16 19:27:19 +1000My children are teenagers now, but the time I spend at home as a ‘stay home dad’ was amazingly rewarding. My hope is for many other fathers to have the same opportunity
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Sarah Hartree signed 2026-07-16 15:36:52 +1000
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Shanaya Wolf signed 2026-07-16 00:51:41 +1000
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Jessica Tanna signed 2026-07-15 21:43:09 +1000
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Lauren Turner signed 2026-07-15 20:33:05 +1000
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Barbara Rodrigo signed via Tara McLennan 2026-07-15 10:54:31 +1000
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Sara Navarro Arnedo signed via Tara McLennan 2026-07-15 10:36:43 +1000
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Melinda Gambley signed 2026-07-15 10:17:50 +1000
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Tara McLennan signed 2026-07-15 09:56:35 +1000
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Alison Hallworth signed 2026-07-15 08:48:31 +1000
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Marita T signed 2026-07-14 17:52:14 +1000
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Cathy Milwidsky signed 2026-07-14 14:38:43 +1000Babies need their parents in the first year of their lives – and when we honour this, we offer the best possible future for Australia!
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Nick Haydon signed 2026-07-14 14:32:00 +1000
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Miranda Lacey signed 2026-07-13 21:30:10 +1000
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Matthew O'Rourke signed 2026-07-13 17:00:54 +1000Its such an important time for mums, dads and bubs!! We should be prioritising stronger connections and more time together is the only thing that allows for it!
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Sebastian Costello signed 2026-07-13 11:04:34 +1000I love this!! More time with bub and more time for dads to care.
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Lauren Morphett signed 2026-07-09 07:08:05 +1000
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Jen Lofgren signed 2026-07-08 12:22:48 +1000
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Catherine Liddle signed 2026-07-08 08:26:40 +1000
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Debi Bannerman signed 2026-07-06 11:45:43 +1000
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Caitlin Ireland signed 2026-07-03 20:02:51 +1000