I was all set to post a defense of feminist views of involved fathers here, but that will have to wait ... the at-home dad press radar is blinking like crazy after a speech by Australian opposition leader Mark Latham. Here is the money segment:

"I've got to confess, as someone who feels a bit guilty about not seeing enough of my children, I'm increasingly envious of parents at home. They have the advantage of turning quantity time into quality time with family. Women have traditionally taken this role, but I expect in future, we will have many more stay-at-home dads in Australia. This is an important part of rebuilding male identity: recognising the significance of fatherhood. I trust that working men can understand this new role and, in their friendship and peer groups, give stay-at-home dads as much support and recognition as possible.

We should foster fatherhood at every opportunity. "

My only regret is that this sort of political viewpoint is so rare that when a pol I've never heard of, half a world away, makes it, I consider it huge news. I'll begin taking wagers on which the first high-profile U.S. politician to come out in favor of at-home fatherhood (though the payoff may come many, many years in the future).