Australian Father of the Year 2026
Matthew Johnson
For millions of Australians, Matt “Matty J” Johnson is a familiar face. To his daughters, he is simply Dad.
Showing up in the moments that matter.
Matt’s fatherhood is grounded in being genuinely involved in the lives of his three girls – present, playful, affectionate and engaged in their world. He knows when to bring the fun, when to listen and when they simply need Dad close by.
Together, Matt and Laura have built a strong co-parenting partnership where care isn’t defined by traditional gender roles. They share the responsibility of raising their family, creating a home where their daughters see both parents as equally capable, nurturing and involved.
For his girls, that consistent presence matters. It has helped create an environment where they feel safe to be themselves, be silly, make mistakes, ask questions and know they are loved without condition. They are growing up with an engaged and caring dad not as something exceptional, but simply as their experience of what a dad can be.
“It’s these micro moments of care, every single day…that forms the foundation of our relationship”
Matt has never presented fatherhood as something polished or perfect. By sharing his own experiences – including the joy, pressure, doubt and loneliness that can come with being a dad – he has helped create space for conversations that can otherwise feel difficult to say out loud.
Through that openness and relatability, Matt has become one of many fathers helping other dads feel seen, understood and less alone – creating a community where dads can connect, learn from one another and feel more confident in how they show up for their children.
His story is one of many, but that is exactly what makes it powerful: it is familiar, human and grounded in the simple choice to keep showing up.
“He brings so much fun to our home. We're always laughing, and the kids are so lucky to have a dad that genuinely wants to play and spend time with them.”– Laura Byrne
The everyday work of fatherhood
Presence is built in small moments.
“When you do have those little moments of connection, and your kids do open up to you, it’s nice to know you’re on the right track...”
Fatherhood does not need to look perfect to be meaningful. It can be messy, exhausting and full of moments where you are unsure whether you are getting it right.
It is also one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. The impact is built over time. From listening, apologising, learning, laughing, comforting and returning again and again to the people who need you.
Two Doting Dads
Building a community where dads can listen, learn and be vulnerable.
Beyond his role as a father to three daughters, Matty J has become a leading voice for modern fatherhood through Two Doting Dads. Since launching the podcast in 2023, he and co-host Ash Wicks have recorded more than 247 episodes that blend humour with honest conversations about the realities of raising children.
Alongside the everyday highs and lows of family life, the podcast has tackled issues that have traditionally received too little attention in conversations with fathers, including postnatal depression, miscarriage, body autonomy and men’s mental health.
Matt and Ash also bring child psychologists, behavioural specialists, medical professionals and parenting educators into the conversation, giving families practical, evidence-based advice they can use at home.
By creating a space where parents can laugh, learn and feel less alone, Two Doting Dads encourages dads to be emotionally present, embrace vulnerability and see parenting as a shared responsibility.
The example he grew up with
His mum remains one of his strongest parenting role models.
Matt was raised by a single mother in a large family. He has credited her openness, resilience and non-judgemental approach with shaping the way he understands relationships and parenting.
Her example can be seen in the emotional tone he works to create with his own children: a home where feelings can be expressed, mistakes can be talked through and love is not conditional on getting everything right.
In his own words
A conversation about fatherhood, care and showing up.
A morning with the family
The ordinary moments.
The Care Factor
Care is built in the everyday.
It lives in school runs and bedtime stories, in quiet conversations and silly games, in the decision to stay close when things feel difficult.
Those moments may look ordinary from the outside. For a child, they can shape a lifetime.
Explore The Care Factor campaignAustralian Father of the Year 2026
For the way
he's always there.
Celebrating Matthew Johnson and the everyday care that shapes strong, connected families.
