Child care providers give Labor’s wage promise an F

Angie Bell MP
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education
Shadow Minister for Youth
Federal Member for Moncrieff

MEDIA RELEASE

Child care providers give Labor’s wage promise an F

16 December 2024

Australia’s early childhood education sector has seen through the Albanese Labor Government’s spin and rejected one of its signatures child care policies.

Labor promised up to 200,000 early childhood workers would be over $100 a week better off by Christmas under its Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers policy.

But Department of Education data shows just 15 per cent of early childhood education services had applied for the grant funding by December 4, with many providers concerned they will be financially worse off under the program.

Many small and medium early learning providers continue to struggle under the burden of Labor’s cost of living crisis, which has left them with higher electricity, gas, rent and grocery bills.

And for many providers, Labor’s policy only makes a bad situation worse, particularly when the two years of grant funding runs out and they are stuck with the bill.

Providers must cover the bulk of the on costs, are restricted on fee increases, but are expected to pay the wages upfront – something many small and medium providers cannot afford to do.

Meanwhile, hardworking families continue to struggle with rising out of pocket costs 10.7 per cent in the last 12 months, and a lack of access to appropriate early childhood education.

Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Angie Bell, said Labor continues to fail Australia’s early childhood education sector.

“After three years and two reviews, the Albanese Labor Government has completely failed to address fundamental questions of access, affordability and quality,” Ms Bell said.

“Early childhood educators do an incredible job caring for and educating our youngest Australians, but as the Coalition has said for months, this policy is just a pre-election sweetener, not a long term solution.

“Labor’s policy has only left providers with uncertainty about how much of their costs will be covered and about the future, when the two year grant period ends.

“The Albanese Labor Government does not have a meaningful plan to fix its cost of living crisis, and it does not have a plan for early childhood education.”

Labor can put up all the smoke and mirrors it wants. Australians will see right through it all.

[ENDS]