✍️ 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 are taking that case to Parliament House. We want your name on the list we hand over.
Here For It. From Day One.
Read the new ‘More Time’ With Dad report
People who have signed the petition
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Maddison Gale signed 2026-09-04 16:16:12 +1000
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Bronwyn Moss signed 2026-09-04 16:14:23 +1000Access to parental leave directly reduces the rates of post natal depression. Current policies literally support the development of PND. I can’t believe this needs to be spelled out in 2026.
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Leila Buchanan signed 2026-09-04 16:05:09 +1000
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Lauren Davies signed 2026-09-04 16:03:09 +1000
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Inga Melzer signed 2026-09-04 15:51:41 +1000
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Sandra Drewsen signed 2026-09-04 15:44:54 +1000
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Sarah Spray signed 2026-09-04 15:29:15 +1000
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Georgia Lowes signed 2026-09-04 15:26:48 +1000
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Georgina Werninghaus signed 2026-09-04 15:00:04 +1000We just had our first baby and the first 2 weeks that my partner was able to take off was so helpful, but also meant that he was learning at the same time as me! This would make such a difference for partners learning the mental load of children as they grow, and help with relationship challenges too!
From a child development perspective, I am a paediatric OT and can see the benefits of secure attachment if parents have more time and capacity (physical, financial and emotional!) to be able to learn their child’s needs without the financial and career related stresses that have become a common part of parenting in this age. -
Marie knight signed 2026-09-04 14:58:16 +1000Please give our country’s greatest resource, our children, the best start possible. Give their parents a financially supported start to creating wonderful human beings.
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Renn Holland signed 2026-09-04 14:58:02 +1000
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Nick Grindrod signed 2026-09-04 14:57:49 +1000
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Samantha McMahon signed 2026-09-04 14:51:26 +1000
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Mitchell Brodie signed 2026-09-04 14:45:17 +1000
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Tara Brown signed 2026-09-04 14:39:22 +1000
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Sarisha O'Sullivan signed 2026-09-04 14:30:53 +1000
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Jessica McMahon signed 2026-09-04 14:18:01 +1000
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Maree Lipschitz signed 2026-09-04 14:16:04 +1000
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Bronte Ellicott Ellicott signed 2026-09-04 14:15:03 +1000
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Leah Zahorujko Leah Zahorujko signed 2026-09-04 14:09:26 +1000
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Clara Mearns signed 2026-09-04 14:08:34 +1000
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Sean Ridgewell signed 2026-09-04 14:00:27 +1000
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Claudia Demech signed 2026-09-04 13:58:28 +1000
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Sara Ahlen signed 2026-09-04 13:39:52 +1000
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Milica Mitreska signed 2026-09-04 13:36:29 +1000
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Christine Bauman signed 2026-09-04 13:33:10 +1000
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Jennifer Maclaughlan signed 2026-09-04 13:22:38 +1000
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Rosina McAlpine signed 2026-09-04 13:13:13 +1000Georgie Dent – Thank you for sharing your personal experience and for your advocacy. I hear you! Working parents are raising OUR children – the future of humanity AND represent around 40% of the workforce – so contributing to the economy as well – no wonder they are stress, and burned out. YES – we need to support and celebrate – and the support needs to come from employers, government and community – we have a “systems” problem so we need a systems solution. I’ve signed – Heartfelt 💖 thank you for all you do 🙏
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Amie Gourley signed 2026-09-04 12:47:57 +1000
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Shannon McLachlan signed 2026-09-04 12:45:26 +1000