This week, we've made a comprehensive submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), focusing on our vision to make Australia the best place to be a parent.
Our submission underscores the critical need for reforms in the ECEC system to ensure it is universal, accessible, and high-quality. We advocate for policies that not only support children's development but also promote gender equality and allow parents, especially mothers, to participate fully in the workforce.
Our major asks from the submission include:
- Universal Access to ECEC: Guaranteeing that every child in Australia has access to quality early childhood education and care, regardless of their parents' employment status or income.
- Reform Paid Parental Leave: Advocating for a more generous and flexible paid parental leave scheme that supports all parents.
- Enhanced Health and Wellbeing Support: Ensuring families have access to necessary health and wellbeing services, supporting both physical and mental health from early stages.
- Flexible Workplaces: Promoting workplace flexibility to accommodate the needs of families, enabling parents to balance work and caregiving responsibilities effectively.
We have identified areas where the Draft Report by the Productivity Commission aligns with our goals but also highlighted where it falls short. Our submission calls for bold reforms, emphasizing that piecemeal changes are insufficient to meet the ambitious targets necessary for a transformative ECEC system.
We believe that with targeted investment and policy reform, we can build an ECEC system that serves every Australian family, driving economic growth and fostering a more inclusive society.
