Australia’s parental leave policies have undergone significant changes in recent years to support new parents and their children. However, how does Australia’s parental leave policies compare to those of other countries around the world?

First, let’s understand Australia’s current parental leave policy. The current parental leave scheme was introduced in 2011 and offers eligible parents up to 18 weeks of paid leave at the national minimum wage. In addition, eligible primary carers can receive up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave, which can be shared between both parents. This leave can be taken in a continuous block or can be taken flexibly within the first year of the child’s life.

Now, let’s compare Australia’s parental leave policies with those of other countries:

1. Canada: Canada’s parental leave policy allows for up to 12 months of leave to be shared between parents. The leave is paid at 55% of the parent’s average weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount.
2. Sweden: Sweden offers parents up to 480 days of parental leave, with 90 of those days reserved for each parent. The leave is paid at 80% of the parent’s salary, up to a certain cap.
3. United Kingdom: In the UK, parents can take up to 52 weeks of leave, with 39 weeks paid at a flat rate, and the remaining weeks unpaid.
4. United States: The US does not have a national paid parental leave policy. However, the Family and Medical Leave Act allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

As we can see from the comparison, Australia’s parental leave policies fall short in terms of paid leave compared to countries like Sweden and Canada. However, it is important to note that Australia’s policies are still more generous than countries like the US, which do not offer paid leave.

In good news – The Albanese Government announced plans to extend paid parental leave from 20 weeks to 26 weeks by 2026 – which can be shared by BOTH parents