Building the early learning system that Australian children need

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are gathered today – the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples – and pay my respects to their elders past and present.  

And I think about how much we can learn from First Peoples about putting children at the heart of community as we build the early learning system children need and deserve. 

I’d like to acknowledge my Parliamentary colleagues from all sides, and from both chambers as well as the Minister Yvette Berry from the ACT Government who is our national longest serving minister for early childhood education and care. 

I’d also like to congratulate Anne Hollonds on her appointment as CEO of ELACCA late last year and acknowledge her deep commitment to Australia’s children. A commitment that’s shared in this room and now reflected in Law, with children’s safety and wellbeing paramount. 

Thank you to Senator Marielle Smith and Senator Andrew Bragg, Co-Convenors of the Parliamentary Friends of Early Childhood as well as ELACCA who have invited me to speak with you today. 

Finally, I would like to congratulate Senator Matt O’Sullivan on his recent appointment as Shadow Minister. 

I note his long commitment, particularly through his time with the Minderoo Foundation, to working with First Nations communities. 

I look forward to working with him on a shared commitment to the benefits of early education for all children, including First Nations children and their families, and continued progress on Closing the Gap. 

Just a few weeks ago I was in Derby, up in the Kimberley, where an incredible group of First Nations women have come together with a plan for a Derby Early Learning and Family Centre. 

I am proud to say that we are investing $9 million from our Building Early Education Fund, alongside investments from the Western Australian Government and Minderoo, to back in the leadership of the Ngunga Group Womens Aboriginal Corporation to establish the Derby Early Learning and Family Centre. 

What a terrific example of literally building the early learning system that Australia’s children need. 

And of course, I acknowledge and thank the many leaders from across the Early Childhood sector who are here today. 

Clearly there is a lot of interest in today’s topic: 

‘The path forward: How we build the early learning system that Australia’s children need’. 

Let me outline the building blocks we are putting in place to deliver the universal early learning system Australian children need and deserve. 

As a Government, we believe every child deserves access to quality early education, no matter where they live or what their parents do. In addition, parents and families deserve the practical support our early learning services provide to over a million families and 1.4 million children today. 

Firstly, quality early learning depends on supporting the educators working with our children and families every day. 

This includes valuing and recognising their great work. 

A critical step along the path has been funding our 15% pay increase to workers through the Worker Retention Payment so that we can attract and retain the best people.  

Thanks to the 15% payrise, more educators can afford to stay in the jobs they love.   

Retention is up. Vacancies are down 20% and waivers are down by a third. 

And that means more stability for early learning services, more stability for children, and more stability for families.  

Secondly, we are building more early learning services where they are needed most. 

We have already signed agreements with four states and territories – Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.  

These agreements will deliver 21 new services– most of them co-located with schools and based in our outer suburbs and regions.  

And they’ll deliver nearly 2,000 new early learning places for families where they are needed most.  

We have more to come through our BEEF funding rounds for quality not-for-profit providers. 

In addition to supporting the workforce and building new services, we are removing barriers, opening up access and affordability for more families. 

Through our 3 Day Guarantee, every child now has the right to 3 days of Child Care Subsidy each week. 

Instead of closing off access based on what parents do, we are opening it up based on what children need. 

In addition, the average family will pay $3,500 less this year because of our Cheaper Child Care reforms. 

And we’re working with the sector to limit fee growth now at around 3.5% across the sector. 

And all of this is underpinned by the work we are doing to strengthen the sector. 

We know that safe, quality care is the foundation of quality early learning. 

This includes $226 million of reforms that includes the National Mandatory Child Safety Training package. 

We are thrilled that in the first two weeks there has been quite extraordinary take up.   

I’d like to acknowledge that ELACCA has made a commitment to having all staff of their member organisations undertake this child safety training in paid time.   

So, you can see how much progress we have made towards a quality system of early learning and care. 

The building blocks of a universal early education system are already being assembled. 

A strong workforce, building supply, addressing access and affordability, and prioritising quality and safety. 

There is more to do, but we are already well along the path and look forward to working with everyone in the room – and the broader sector – to make more progress so that every child and family gets the benefits of quality early learning.