Trapped in Labor’s Labyrinth: $11m spent fixing worker retention chaos
3 Mar | '2025
Angie Bell MP
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education
Shadow Minister for Youth
Federal Member for Moncrieff
James Stevens MP
Shadow Minister for Government Waste Reduction
Federal Member for Sturt
MEDIA RELEASE
Trapped in Labor’s Labyrinth: $11m spent fixing worker retention chaos
3 March 2025
The Albanese Labor Government is spending $11 million of taxpayers’ money in a last ditch attempt to clean up its bungled Worker Retention Payment.
The Department of Education confirmed during Senate Estimates that eight organisations, including three unions, have been given funding to provide “support” to services attempting to apply for the funding.
In other words, the process is so complex and difficult that services are unable to complete it on their own, and the department has been unable to provide adequate support.
Since applications opened in October last year, just 38,642 educators, out of an eligible 200,000, have received the government’s promised pay rise. That’s just 19% of the workforce.
It’s obvious Labor has realised what a mess it has created and dished out the money last month to try and cover it up.
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Angie Bell said Labor must start owning up to their mistakes.
“The Worker Retention Payment is another Labor broken promise.
“It did not have to be this hard – so hard the government has now had to spend $11 million of taxpayers’ money on outsourcing help for the hardworking sector to work out the unnecessarily complicated application process.
“Instead of being upfront with the hardworking sector, and apologising for this debacle, Labor only has deflections and denials on offer.”
Shadow Minister for Government Waste Reduction, James Stevens said “Labor can’t even deliver a pay rise without stuffing it up.
“Adding insult to injury, they are shoveling more millions to their mates in the union movement to try and fix it.”
This is yet another example of a reckless and wasteful Labor government that is completely out of touch and out of its depth.
ON BACKGROUND:
| Recipient | Amount | Link |
| Ai Group | $ 1,650,000 | Grant Award View – GA418012: GrantConnect |
| Australian Childcare Alliance | $ 1,839,608 | Grant Award View – GA418009: GrantConnect |
| Australian Services Union | $ 721,003 | Grant Award View – GA424014: GrantConnect |
| Community Early Learning Australia | $ 1,839,608 | Grant Award View – GA424013: GrantConnect |
| Independent Education Union | $ 769,780 | Grant Award View – GA424016: GrantConnect |
| National Outside School Hours Services Alliance | $ 1,650,000 | Grant Award View – GA418010: GrantConnect |
| SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children | $ 1,100,000 | Grant Award View – GA418013: GrantConnect |
| United Workers Union | $ 1,430,000 | Grant Award View – GA424015: GrantConnect |
| Total | $ 10,999,999 |
[ENDS]