By

Mike Toten

Mike Toten is a freelance writer, editor and media commentator.

This is a positive step towards supporting working parents and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

Paid parental leave entitlement will increase from the current 18 weeks to 22 weeks from 1 July 2024, then 24 weeks from 1 July 2025 and finally 26 weeks from 1 July 2026. This follows the passage of legislation by the Federal Parliament last week.

The Bill is the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (More Support for Working Families) Bill 2023, passed with amendments made by the Senate on 18 March 2024. It amends the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010. The amendments mainly relate to increased funding to help smaller businesses with the scheme's administration. The government estimates that about 180,000 families will have access to these entitlements per year.

Other changes include the following:

  • Of the total entitlement, three weeks may be taken by the other parent from 1 July 2025 (increased from two), with a further increase to four weeks from 1 July 2026, while single parents can use the total number of weeks.
  • The period that both parents can take concurrently will increase from two weeks to four weeks by 1 July 2025.

Although not part of this Bill, the Government has separately announced that superannuation will become payable on Commonwealth-funded paid parental leave from 1 July 2025. This will require separate legislation.

Parents will be able to lodge claims for the first increase instalment from April 2024 (next month).