Changes to Paid Parental Leave from July 2023

The federal parliament has passed changes to the Paid Parental Leave scheme aimed at supporting women’s workforce participation and helping dads and partners take time off work to be with their children.

On 1 July 2023, Parental Leave Pay and Dad and Partner Pay will be combined into one shared 20-week scheme.   Either parent will be able to claim Parental Leave Pay first, and access the benefit in multiple blocks, as small as one day, and be able to work for periods in between.  Single parents will have access to the full 20-week entitlement. 

Parents can use Parental Leave Pay until a child turns 2. Parents can share their Parental Leave Pay with each other and they can take days at the same time. This can be at the same time as paid leave.

Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said the reform is a “critical, nation-building” reform which is “vital for the health and wellbeing of parents and their children.” 

The changes will come into effect for parents whose children are born or adopted from 1 July 2023.