Journal of Industrial Relations

Abstract: Information on the uptake of parental leave policies and the work experiences of parents prior to and following the birth of a child is extremely limited in Australia. In this research note we outline the development of, and some initial findings from, a survey designed to fill this statistical gap. We discuss methodological issues associated with collecting this type of data and present preliminary snapshots of the use of maternity and paternity leave in Australia in 2005. Our goal is to identify pathways beyond the statistical gap, both in the sense of providing basic statistics that are currently ‘missing ’ and in extending the range and quality of information available on parental leave in Australia