Speech: Early Childhood and Care Educators

Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (11:08): I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises:

(a) the vital role early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators and teachers play in supporting young children's early learning and development;

(b) properly valuing and recognising the ECEC profession—including through fair wages—is critical to reversing attrition and growing the workforce;

(d) the Government's historic announcement for a two-year, 15 per cent ECEC worker retention payment for ECEC workers, phased in from December 2024;

(2) notes that:

(a) one year on, the Government's cheaper child care reforms are delivering real cost of living relief to household budgets;

(b) the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's child care inquiry found that out-of-pocket costs dropped 11 per cent following the introduction of the Government's cheaper child care measures; and

(c) the Government's ECEC worker retention payment will be tied to a commitment from early learning services to limit fee increases to 4.4 per cent, an important condition that will keep downward pressure on fees for Australian families; and

(3) acknowledges that:

(a) since the election, there are 860 more ECEC services, around 68,000 more children in ECEC, and around 30,000 more ECEC workers; and

(b) between 2018 and 2022, fees under the previous Government increased by 22.8 per cent compared to the OECD adjusted average of 6.2 per cent.

Ms Swanson: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Mrs PHILLIPS: I'm really pleased to move this private member's motion today, because the wonderful, dedicated individuals that nurture our youngest citizens are some of the most vital workers in our country. Every day, parents trust early educators with the most important thing in their world: their children. Every day, Australia asks early educators to do one of the most important jobs imaginable. They deserve our thanks, and they deserve to be paid properly. That's why I wholeheartedly welcome this government's decision to fund a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood education and care workers.

Early educators are helping shape the youngest generation in my electorate of Gilmore. As a mum of four, I've seen firsthand over many years the significant work local early learning centres do to nurture and create better, smarter and more capable Australians. As it happens, when the 15 per cent pay rise was announced by this government on 9 August during Early Learning Matters Week, I was visiting ECTARC The Basin Early Education and Care Service, which provides care for children from two to school age at Sanctuary Point. I sat down with the educators and the children and could feel the love, passion and special connection the educators have with the youngsters in their care. It was very easy to see the wide variety of educational and fun activities that the children were working on, which they got me to help them with. I particularly liked the large soft dice that one of the children threw, and then we posed similarly to what it landed on. Yes, we both did the warrior pose and more. I loved sitting in a circle with the children and educators and, together, we sang. There was art, groovy coloured sand and outdoor activities. These amazing educators deserve recognition for the hard work and commitment they put in every day. But they deserve much more than recognition; they deserve to be paid fairly. The staff at ECTARC The Basin Education and Care Service were thrilled when I shared the good news for workers, families and children during my visit.

In regional areas like Gilmore, attracting workers into the early education sector can be tough, and young staff often leave the industry because of low pay. This government is looking after them. We are getting wages moving, which will attract and retain our early childhood education workforce. For a typical worker, the 15 per cent pay rise will mean they will receive at least $103 more in their pay packet each week from December 2024, increasing to at least $155 per week from December 2025.

While we are investing in our early learning educators, it is important to reiterate that the Albanese government is also keeping costs down and easing cost-of-living pressures for families by limiting fee increases at childcare centres. Childcare centres will not be permitted to increase their fees by more than 4.4 per cent over the next 12 months, which means, while wages are increasing for workers, downward pressure will be placed on fees for families. That's a massive win-win.

This is a $3.6 billion investment. This is a two-year commitment while the Fair Work Commission looks at the work value case which is taking place. The Productivity Commission inquiry has shown that, unless we do something about wages in this sector, we won't have a workforce. You shouldn't earn more stacking supermarket shelves than you do looking after our youngest Australians in such fantastic way. So this is a really important commitment that we are making.

This significant wage increase is a wonderful outcome for a highly feminised work force that has for far too long been neglected and taken for granted. Early childhood educators shape lives and change lives. We can never thank them enough for what they do, but we can make sure they are properly valued and fairly paid. Our government is doing just that.