The Federal Government has used Father's Day to announce their paid parental leave scheme for new dads.

The Government had planned to start the scheme in July next year, but announced in the May budget that it would be delayed for six months.

From January 2013, fathers or partners will get cheques paid over two weeks at the national minimum wage of $590 a week to give them time off work to help care for their new babies.

The bonus will be means-tested in the same way regular paid parental leave is assessed and will cut out when the individual earns more than $150,000.

The payment will also be available to adopting parents and parents in same-sex couples who share the role of caring for a child born or adopted from January 1, 2013.

Fathers and partners will not be able to take employer-funded paternity leave at the same time.

But families may be entitled to the leave on top of other payments such as the baby bonus and family tax benefit.

Labor has been dropping in the polls recently, and the Prime Minister is under pressure over her handling of the asylum seeker issue.

Mr Garrett concedes the Government is having a "difficult spell", but says to turn that around Labor is focussing on Opposition inconsistencies and positive Government policies.

"On Father's Day we can say that dads will have an opportunity to look after their kids, mum will have that opportunity, and the kids will get it as well.

he said.

"These are good, solid, constructive Labor policies, the kinds of things that we're doing all the time - and we'll continue to do them."