Golden Plains Shire Council (GPSC) is committed to ensuring parental leave serves the diverse needs of all families in our workforce. This includes single parents, same-sex parents and fathers, so they can access leave in a way that genuinely suits their individual lives.
Why the Council needed to act
GPSC l already had generous parental leave entitlements, however, it was identified that fewer men were taking parental leave, and there were big differences between teams .
Workforce data showed gender segregation across the organisation. Early childhood education roles were mostly women, outdoor crews were mostly men, and people often assumed only mothers could take longer periods of leave. This shaped how people saw caring responsibilities and who they thought leave was for.
GPSC’s People and Culture team wanted to change this perception. They saw parental leave as an equity issue and a chance to support shared care across the workforce. The team knew it wasn’t only about fixing the policy, it was about changing how people saw leave, talked about it and used it.
What they did
The People and Culture team looked at how the leave policy was understood, not just what it said. Many staff didn’t realise they were eligible to be the primary carer.
At the time, many people thought “primary carer” meant you had to be the birth mother. But under the enterprise agreement, any eligible staff member can take extended parental leave if they are the main person providing care – including fathers and partners.
Others didn’t know where to find information or weren’t sure if their manager would support them.
They set out to make leave easier to understand and easier to access. This included:
- rewriting leave information in plain English and changing the language used to describe families and parents
- consulting widely and providing employees opportunity to have input into our leave practices
- creating a Parents & Carers resource including FAQs, links to relevant services and offering People & Culture support for questions
- using images and stories that reflected all kinds of families – including single parents, same-sex couples and grandparents
- visiting team meetings and toolbox talks to explain leave
- encouraging managers to treat leave like any other part of planning
- incorporating training and resources about being a parent into Men’s Health Week activities
- focusing early efforts on operational teams where uptake was low.
They made it clear that taking parental leave is a normal part of working life.
These actions helped shift conversations from “Can I really do this?” to “Let’s work together to plan your leave.”
The People and Culture team continue to check in with staff, update resources and gather feedback. They know it won’t always be perfect, but the key is to keep learning and improving.
How it helped Jacob plan leave
Jacob works in the outdoor maintenance team. He found out about his leave options during a discussion with People & Culture.
When his partner needed to return to work, Jacob chose to take eight months of parental leave at half pay. He said it was the best fit financially and gave him time at home with their baby.
Jacob and his partner had planned things early. She had built a strong career in tech, and he wanted to support her to return to work. He said he was already the main cook at home, and during leave he took on more of the day-to-day care and household tasks. Taking leave helped them build a new routine and share the load in a different way.
His manager was involved early and helped plan for the leave and Jacob’s return to work.
The People and Culture team worked with Jacob and his manager to plan his leave, check in during his time away and welcome him back. Having a supportive process made it easier to step away and to return.
Changing how people use leave
One of the biggest shifts has been how staff think about leave. It is no longer the pattern of mum taking 12 months and dad taking two weeks.
Now, staff are:
- choosing half-pay to make it work financially
- working with managers to plan time away
- making leave decisions based on what fits their family.
Different families are using leave in different ways – from single parents to dads taking extended leave, to partners sharing care across months.
People are shaping leave around their lives not following old patterns.
Lessons for other organisations
• Use your data
Look at who’s using leave and where the gaps are.
• Make it easy to understand
Policies only work if people can find them and see how they apply.
• Speak directly with teams
Toolbox talks and staff meetings are good places to open up the conversation.
• Support your managers
Team leaders need to feel confident having the conversation early.
• Show what’s possible
Real stories help staff imagine different ways to use leave.
Next step
Think about how introducing flexible leave practices could help your organisation improve gender equality in the workplace.
View these flexible work, caring responsibilities and family violence leave resources.
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