The government might start paying blokes to watch Paw Patrol

Twenty weeks of paid parental leave for dads is on the table.

Twenty weeks of paid parental leave for dads is on the table.

Men could soon access paid leave within the first two years of their kid's life.

That's because the new Labor government plans to kick off discussions with businesses about how they could encourage more fathers to become the primary carers and look after their young children at home.

The concept for 20 weeks of comped parental leave was actually an idea of the former Liberal government and was worked into the last Budget handed down in March, but new social services minister Amanda Rishworth is reviewing the legislation. 

Rishworth, whose husband was a stay-at-home dad following the birth of their children, said she supported the principle of flexibility in the Morrison government's plan that would allow couples to share the 20 available weeks of paid parental leave - with the commonwealth set to pick up the tab. 

The new minister said she would have a "really good look" at how the government could support the needs of modern families and give parents the flexibility to choose how they shared their work and family lives but flagged there will be further reform needed in the space in order to properly service and reflect the evolution of traditional gender roles.

"Society has changed. A lot more men do want to play a role. And a lot of men do say they want to be the primary caregiver for some period of time," she told The Australian.

"I'm keen to consult and talk with people about how we can best meet the needs of Australian families at the moment."

While Rishworth is yet to consult with the corporate sector, the initiative has been welcome by many businesses, some of which already offer tailored maternity and parental leave packages for their employees.

Business groups, including the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are more pumped than breast milk about the economic potential this policy will unlock.

"Estimates show that if the women participated in the workforce at the same rates as men this could potentially raise Australia’s GDP by almost $66bn per year," ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar told The Oz.

“Providing partners with an equal opportunity to take time off and share responsibilities in the home is a measure that could assist more women to stay in the workforce."

McKellar said groups like the one he runs have been championing this type of reform for "decades" due to the benefits it will provide in increasing workforce participation and diversity.

"Current labour and skills shortages emphasise the need to maximise the number of people in the workforce. A flexible paid parental leave can further assist in meeting this challenge," McKellar said.

“A number of employers are able to complement government provided paid parental leave entitlements.  This is done in many workplaces to attract and retain highly skilled and valuable employees.

"While significant inroads have been made since the introduction of parental leave in 1979, ACCI urges the government to further strengthen women’s workforce participation as a key economic reform."