The Other Parent’

A Critical Policy Analysis of Fatherhood Discourses in the Australian Government's Paid Parental Leave Scheme

Bibliographic Data

ID11228632
AuthorsLily Lewington (0000-0003-4038-0223, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Public Health Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia, corresponding author), Bernadette Sebar (School of Medicine & Dentistry, Public Health Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia), Jessica Lee (0000-0001-5760-2692, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia)
Year2025
Publication date2025-07-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAustralian Journal of Social Issues (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0157-6321 • E-ISSN: 1839-4655
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajs4.70036
OpenAlexW4411933490
LanguageEN
References cited22

The Australian paid parental leave (PPL) government scheme aims to support working parents through financial assistance and the promotion of gender equality in caregiving responsibilities. However, the scheme's implementation has been critiqued for its gendered design, which marginalises fathers and reinforces traditional gender roles. This study conducts a critical policy analysis of the PPL scheme timeline, focusing on the discursive language surrounding fatherhood in the policy text. Through an examination of key legislative documents from 2010 to 2024, three discursive themes were identified: the promotion of mothers as primary caregivers, the framing of fatherhood as an exceptional circumstance, and the role of the government as gatekeepers to parental leave (and parenthood). The findings suggest that the discursive language used in the policy perpetuates gendered stereotypes, limiting fathers' participation in caregiving and undermining efforts towards gender equality. By recognising PPL policy as a discursive structure that shapes cultural representations of parenthood, we can make meaningful impact through policy language, in so doing improving fathers' role clarity and family stability, thereby fostering a more inclusive and supportive societal environment. Recent policy updates which promote equitable and inclusive language bring hope that new iterations will encourage and support more flexible options for equitable caregiving responsibilities for parents

Government (linguistics · Parental leave · Political science · Project commissioning · Publishing · Scheme (mathematics · Sociology · Engineering · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Gender Studies · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Law · Work-Family Balance Challenges