Source : Perth Now news
Australian dads are being “locked out” of bonding with their newborns, a new report reveals, with Australia ranking near the bottom of the developed world when it comes to paid parental leave for fathers.
Australia ranks 34th out of 38 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries for dedicated, well-paid leave reserved for fathers, according to Movember and The Parenthood’s “More Time With Dad” report.
Almost one in three dads took no parental leave at all, while the majority of those who did take time off said it wasn’t enough.
More than half said taking more time off would put their careers at risk.
Under rules introduced on July 1, Australian dads now have four weeks of government-funded leave reserved for the second parent, paid at minimum wage, which is worth about half of average full-time earnings.
The report found the leave had clear benefits for families, with most dads saying it was good for their mental health, helped them bond with their child and benefited their relationship with their partner.
The findings come as global men’s health charity Movember heads to Parliament House in Canberra on Monday to release the report, launch a new cross-party “Dads Caucus”, and celebrate Father’s Day with a group of iconic Australian fathers.
Amont them will be Wiggles member and father of twin daughters Lachlan Gillespie, who said the time he spent at home during their earliest weeks helped shape his family.
“There’ll always be another work day, but you don’t get those early moments back. Paid parental leave is one of the clearest ways we can make sure dads are there when it matters most,” Gillespie said.
“Being there every day and every night in those early moments of my daughters’ lives created a bond that’s only grown stronger over the past five years.
“After a tough birth, being there meant I could support my wife when she needed it most.”
The report found financial pressure and concerns about work were some of the biggest obstacles stopping fathers from taking leave.
Out of those who skipped leave, more than a third blamed financial pressure, while a similar number cited a lack of employer support and fear of career damage.
The gap is also clear across different industries, with paid parental leave offered by large employers in education, but fewer than half of those in transport, manufacturing, construction and agriculture.
The report also found self-employed fathers, tradies, and FIFO workers were also “locked out” of parental leave by design, with the system often assuming their jobs can simply be handed over while they are away.
The Parenthood chief executive Georgie Dent said families needed to be able to afford to take the leave available to them.
“Leave that exists on paper and leave a family can actually afford to take are two very different things,” Ms Dent said.
“Dedicated, usable leave for fathers isn’t a concession to mothers, it’s what gives every family a genuine choice in their first year.”
The new cross-party Dads Caucus will bring together Special Envoy for Men’s Health Dan Repacholi, Liberal member for Casey Aaron Violi, and Labor MPs Peter Khalil, Jerome Laxale, Josh Burns, Matt Thistlethwaite, giving parliamentarians a standing forum to share their own experiences, alongside the stories of dads from their electorates, and carry those insights into the reform process.
Movember and The Parenthood are calling for paid parental leave for dads to be kept on the national reform agenda, and to find practical ways to help more fathers take time off.
“Blokes deserve to be there for their kids without it costing them everything else, and this Caucus is about keeping dads front and centre as we work through what needs to change,” Mr Repacholi said.
