The push for paid maternity leave has been stepped up with evidence a baby's brain development is hampered by a mother's absence.
The one-on-one interaction between a mother and baby appears irreplaceable, with research showing a mother's absence can be detrimental to brain development.
According to the state's leading advisor on child policy, Gillian Calvert, mothers should be paid to stay at home for the first two years.
Ms Calvert told News Ltd the core capacities from the interactions with a mother underpin a child's entry into language and logical thinking.
"When a baby smiles at its mother she leans over and kisses the baby, who then grabs her cheek, each interaction building upon the next," Ms Calvert said.
She says the scientific evidence is compelling.
"We have evidence that maternal employment during an infant's first year of life can have a detrimental effect on their cognitive development," she said.