In August 2001 the Australian Catholic University announced that its new General Staff Enterprise Bargaining Agreement included a provision for one year's paid maternity leave - 12 weeks on full pay and a further 40 weeks on 60 per cent pay. Denise Thompson Michael Bittman and Peter Saunders assess how that decision helped shape the public debate on parental leave by examining how the issue has been covered in the media since its announcement, and how it has been incorporated into the broader debate on family-friendly workplace policies.