Policy Forum (19.09.2019) Ten years on from the historic announcement of Australia’s paid parental leave scheme, it is time for policymakers, experts, industry, and government to reflect on further improvements to support Australian families, Belinda Townsend writes.

Le Temps (12.09.2019) Le modèle du congé parental, entré trop tardivement dans le débat en commission, n’a pas fait le poids face au congé paternité. Le Conseil national opte pour une solution minimaliste, rejetant aussi l’initiative de Travail.Suisse

The Sidney Morning Herald (22.08.2019) Australian academics are looking to Iceland when it comes to ways to increase the proportion of fathers who take paternity leave. Asdís Arnalds, from the faculty of social work at the University of Iceland, will give the keynote address at the Australian National University on Thursday about how her country has doubled the proportion of fathers who take paternity leave from 40 per cent to 80 per cent since it was extended from six months to nine months.

ABC (17.07.2019) The average length of paid parental leave among OECD countries is around 55 weeks, while Australia's system offers 18 weeks, according to OECD data. Unlike the majority of the 36 members of the OECD, Australia provides a flat rate rather than a replacement wage. This makes the Australian system generous to low-income earners and part-time workers but not to those who earn more than the full-time minimum wage.

blogs.letemps (17.07.2019) Le 20 juin 2019, le Conseil des Etats a approuvé un contre-projet à l’initiative “Pour un congé de paternité raisonnable − en faveur de toute la famille” sous la forme d’un congé-paternité de deux semaines financé par le régime des APG. Au début du mois de juillet 2019, la Commission des finances du Conseil national a suivi notre Chambre haute. Puisse la Chambre basse en faire de même lorsqu’elle sera saisie de cet objet en plénière !

theguardian (11.07.2019) New parents are given 240 days off between them – but corporate pressure means it’s men who then return to work

independent. (08.07.2019) Less than one in three new fathers take paternity leave, a study has found. Research suggests roughly a third (31 per cent) of eligible new fathers used paternity leave in the last year compared to 32 per cent the previous year.

The Diplomat (15.06.2019) The subject is fast becoming a hot topic in the region.

lenews (27.05.2019) Recently, Switzerland’s Federal Council voiced its opposition to an initiative to create universal paid leave for the fathers of newborns, according to the newspaper Le Matin.

 Personnel Today (20.05.2019) Denmark has some of the most generous parental leave and childcare support schemes in the world. But have these had an impact on closing its gender pay gap? Jason Downes looks at what the UK can learn from its policies.