In Australia, statutory “maternity leave” is now covered under the broader parental leave system: most eligible parents can take up to 12 months unpaid leave from their employer, and government‑funded Paid Parental Leave is being expanded to 26 weeks (about 6 months) by July 2026.

Key facts at a glance

  • Unpaid parental leave from your employer
    • Most eligible employees can take up to 12 months unpaid parental leave , with the right to request an extra 12 months (so potentially up to 24 months if the employer agrees).
* This applies per parent, so each parent can potentially access their own period of unpaid leave.
  • Government Paid Parental Leave (PPL)
    • The federal scheme is being phased up to 26 weeks of paid leave by 2026 as a national minimum standard.
* Key phase‑in timetable for government PPL for a birth or adoption:

  * Before 1 July 2024: up to 100 days (about 20 weeks)
  * 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025: up to 110 days (about 22 weeks)
  * 1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026: up to 120 days (about 24 weeks)
  * On or after 1 July 2026: up to 130 days (about 26 weeks)
  • Who can use it (mums vs partners)
    • The modern scheme is shared “paid parental leave” , not just “maternity leave”: it is designed so that any eligible parent (birth mother, partner, adoptive parent) can claim and share the weeks.
  • Pay rate
    • Government Paid Parental Leave is paid at around the national minimum wage , not at your normal salary (unless your employer tops it up with their own scheme).

How this feels in real life

From forum and public discussions, many Australians say the system still feels too short and underpaid , especially compared with Nordic countries.

Common real‑world patterns include:

  • Parents trying to “stack” leave: use employer paid leave (if available) + government PPL + annual leave to stretch time at home to 9–12 months.
  • Complaints that the payment level (minimum wage) means some families can’t actually afford to take the full entitlement, even once 26 weeks is available.

What’s changing by 2026

  • By 1 July 2026 , government Paid Parental Leave is scheduled to be 26 weeks (130 days) that parents can share more flexibly between them.
  • Policy and HR updates highlight that employers are being told to update payroll and leave policies to reflect the new 26‑week standard and related superannuation contributions.

Simple example scenario

If you give birth in Australia in late 2026 and you’re eligible:

  • You could take 12 months unpaid parental leave from your job (or ask to extend to 24 months if your employer agrees).
  • Within that time, you could receive up to 26 weeks of government Paid Parental Leave , possibly combined or shared with your partner, plus any extra paid leave your employer offers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.