MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Video
MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Video
MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

20 Unique Father's Day Gifts He's Sure To Love

20 Unique Father's Day Gifts He's Sure To Love

Dads Have Their Say on the Push to Improve Parental Leave

Dads Have Their Say on the Push to Improve Parental Leave

Stay at home Dads are still a rarity, but there's a new breed of father that is much more common

Stay at home Dads are still a rarity, but there's a new breed of father that is much more common

Why Everyone Loses When Dads Don’t Take Paternity Leave 

Why Everyone Loses When Dads Don’t Take Paternity Leave 

{headline}

{headline}

Closing Your Activity Rings Has Never Been Easier Thanks To The New Apple Fitness+ Programs

Closing Your Activity Rings Has Never Been Easier Thanks To The New Apple Fitness+ Programs

MAFS' Liam Claims The Dinner Party's Most Controversial Moment Was Cut Out

MAFS' Liam Claims The Dinner Party's Most Controversial Moment Was Cut Out

Everything We Know About 'Sex And The City's' Revival, 'And Just Like That...'

Everything We Know About 'Sex And The City's' Revival, 'And Just Like That...'

{headline}

{headline}

A Deep Dive Into The Eerie Events Behind Netflix's New Documentary, 'Why Did You Kill Me?'

A Deep Dive Into The Eerie Events Behind Netflix's New Documentary, 'Why Did You Kill Me?'

9 Homeware Brands You Should Be Following On Instagram

9 Homeware Brands You Should Be Following On Instagram

Your Weekly Horoscopes Are Here! April 16th - April 22nd

Your Weekly Horoscopes Are Here! April 16th - April 22nd

MAFS Reactions: Beck Claims Jake "Betrayed" Her, Twitter Disagrees

MAFS Reactions: Beck Claims Jake "Betrayed" Her, Twitter Disagrees

Meet Every Famous Face Taking To The Stage For This Year's 'Dancing with the Stars: All Stars'

Meet Every Famous Face Taking To The Stage For This Year's 'Dancing with the Stars: All Stars'

MAFS Reactions: Georgia Really Just Did That!

MAFS Reactions: Georgia Really Just Did That!

48 Hours In Brisbane: Where To Sleep, Eat, Drink And Play On Your Next Weekender

48 Hours In Brisbane: Where To Sleep, Eat, Drink And Play On Your Next Weekender

  1. Home
  2. Lifestyle

Why Parental Leave In Australia Needs To Change To Include Fathers

Only one in 20 fathers take primary parental leave in Australia - by Sarah Grant
  • 30 May 2019
 Why Parental Leave In Australia Needs To Change To Include Fathers

For all the progressive steps we’ve made with gender equality in recent years, we still have a long way to go when it comes to parental leave.

Especially in Australia, where mothers take 95% of the primary carers leave and a lack of legislated shared parental leaveand traditional gender roles are all working as a deterrent to more Dads taking on the role.

The report, conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, found that the number of hours fathers spend in employment remains at the same level before and after having children, and that fathers parent around their hours of employment.

“What we often see when we are talking to families in research is that there is an assumption that the baby will come and the mother will take time off,” said Jennifer Baxter, senior researcher at the AIFS. “For some mums it’s a life desire but for others it’s a struggle to make it work. There’s such a great diversity in views and wishes around these decisions and what we think is there isn’t enough of a discussion between mothers and fathers to explore all of the options.”

Because Australia does not have a nationally legislated approach to shared parental leave, fathers are often automatically regarded as the secondary carer, Parents At Work chief Emma Walsh said in an article published with the report.

“Most employers provide limited parental leave for secondary carers, if any at all,” Walsh said. “This divide is reinforced by entrenched social views of the breadwinner and homemaker gender ideals. Fathers are conscious of a stigma and bias around taking extended leave, especially when they are unable to see many of their male colleagues taking leave.”

In Australia, the government offers few leave options to men. The current scheme, called Dad and Partner Pay, provides two weeks off at a minimum wage – leaving fathers who want to take extended leave at the mercy of their workplace policy.

But over half the employees surveyed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency do not provide paid primary carer's leave in addition to the government's schemes. 

Despite the fact that anecdotal evidence all points men wanting to take more leave and assume the role of primary carer after their children are born, workplace culture will often not encourage it.  

  • Lifestyle
  • Parenting
Sarah Grant
Sarah Grant
Sarah Grant brings fifteen years of editorial experience to her role as features director of marie claire and is passionate about creating content that sets the title apart from its competitors. Her prior roles include the position of editor and deputy editor at Sunday Style magazine, news editor at WHO magazine and editor of Sydney Confidential.

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare

Recommended to you

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

20 Unique Father's Day Gifts He's Sure To Love

20 Unique Father's Day Gifts He's Sure To Love

Dads Have Their Say on the Push to Improve Parental Leave

Dads Have Their Say on the Push to Improve Parental Leave

Stay at home Dads are still a rarity, but there's a new breed of father that is much more common

Stay at home Dads are still a rarity, but there's a new breed of father that is much more common

Why Everyone Loses When Dads Don’t Take Paternity Leave 

Why Everyone Loses When Dads Don’t Take Paternity Leave 

{headline}

{headline}

Closing Your Activity Rings Has Never Been Easier Thanks To The New Apple Fitness+ Programs

Closing Your Activity Rings Has Never Been Easier Thanks To The New Apple Fitness+ Programs

MAFS' Liam Claims The Dinner Party's Most Controversial Moment Was Cut Out

MAFS' Liam Claims The Dinner Party's Most Controversial Moment Was Cut Out

Everything We Know About 'Sex And The City's' Revival, 'And Just Like That...'

Everything We Know About 'Sex And The City's' Revival, 'And Just Like That...'

{headline}

{headline}

A Deep Dive Into The Eerie Events Behind Netflix's New Documentary, 'Why Did You Kill Me?'

A Deep Dive Into The Eerie Events Behind Netflix's New Documentary, 'Why Did You Kill Me?'

9 Homeware Brands You Should Be Following On Instagram

9 Homeware Brands You Should Be Following On Instagram

Your Weekly Horoscopes Are Here! April 16th - April 22nd

Your Weekly Horoscopes Are Here! April 16th - April 22nd

MAFS Reactions: Beck Claims Jake "Betrayed" Her, Twitter Disagrees

MAFS Reactions: Beck Claims Jake "Betrayed" Her, Twitter Disagrees

Meet Every Famous Face Taking To The Stage For This Year's 'Dancing with the Stars: All Stars'

Meet Every Famous Face Taking To The Stage For This Year's 'Dancing with the Stars: All Stars'

MAFS Reactions: Georgia Really Just Did That!

MAFS Reactions: Georgia Really Just Did That!

48 Hours In Brisbane: Where To Sleep, Eat, Drink And Play On Your Next Weekender

48 Hours In Brisbane: Where To Sleep, Eat, Drink And Play On Your Next Weekender

MarieClaire
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • Practical Parenting
  • All Recipes
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Marie Claire

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare