“The outcome on this issue could be life-changing.”

The Turnbull government tried last December to cut up to $11,800 in payments for mums and dads with babies due later this year.

Lukas Coch / AAPIMAGE

Despite not getting enough crossbench support at the time, the Coalition has indicated it still plans to go ahead and butcher parental leave under the next parliament if re-elected.

However, that might be influenced by the outcomes of key senate races across Australia on Saturday, new analysis by independent campaigning organisation Fair Agenda has revealed.

Key minor parties who could end up casting votes on the issue are committed to blocking any attempts to cut parental leave if elected.

Fair Agenda / Via Supplied

Numbers crunched by The Australian last week showed "a sharp increase" in voters who "desert the major parties" in the senate with the number of people who voted “1” for the Coalition in the lower house but not in the ­Senate rising tenfold since 2004.

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