✍️ 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
-
Kayla Weir signed 2026-09-14 07:58:06 +1000
-
Daniel Lynskey signed 2026-09-14 07:54:25 +1000
-
Katelyn Moakes signed 2026-09-14 07:53:57 +1000
-
Jonathan Daniel signed 2026-09-14 07:43:18 +1000
-
Nicolas Seow signed 2026-09-14 07:42:20 +1000
-
Dylan Gepp signed 2026-09-14 07:40:35 +1000Absolutely!
-
Lachlan Macdougall signed 2026-09-14 07:35:05 +1000
-
Hayley Pigram signed 2026-09-14 07:30:29 +1000
-
Emily Ensor signed 2026-09-14 07:18:06 +100012 mths for both parents without dipping into each other’s leave is the best to come out of it!
-
Megan Barnett signed 2026-09-14 06:53:26 +1000
-
Kelly Dunn signed 2026-09-14 06:51:09 +1000
-
Stephanie Mason signed 2026-09-14 06:50:56 +1000
-
Todd Gilbert signed 2026-09-14 06:31:24 +1000
-
Ashlee signed 2026-09-14 06:20:52 +1000
-
James Morley signed 2026-09-14 05:58:53 +1000
-
Samantha Goodman-Pearce signed 2026-09-14 05:57:04 +1000
-
Jessica Hansor signed 2026-09-14 03:56:21 +1000
-
Dean Rosario signed 2026-09-14 03:16:34 +1000
-
Keisha Rosario signed 2026-09-14 03:13:54 +1000
-
Joel Phillips signed 2026-09-14 00:00:32 +1000
-
Nicole signed 2026-09-13 22:48:00 +1000
-
Alana Sims signed 2026-09-13 22:35:27 +1000
-
Hithaishi Goonetilleke signed 2026-09-13 22:30:27 +1000
-
Jessica Bourne signed 2026-09-13 22:16:10 +1000
-
Annaliese Dillon signed 2026-09-13 22:11:58 +1000Connection with both parents matters for baby and for them. Financial burden shouldn’t stand in the way of any parent taking leave.
-
Kelly Whittle signed 2026-09-13 22:04:03 +1000
-
Rachael Colwell signed 2026-09-13 21:54:05 +1000
-
Helena Macdonald signed 2026-09-13 21:53:37 +1000
-
Ashleigh Notley signed 2026-09-13 21:44:04 +1000
-
Ben Moore signed 2026-09-13 21:38:26 +1000