The Parenthood Budget Response 2024

The Parenthood welcomes the Federal treasurer’s commitment to fund a wage increase for early childhood educators, which is critical for educators, children, families and the sector. Our budget response.

The Parenthood welcomes the Federal treasurer’s commitment to fund a wage increase for early childhood educators, which is critical for educators, children, families and the sector.

“Early childhood educators have been chronically underpaid and undervalued for too long and have been leaving in accelerating numbers because they cannot afford to stay and they can earn more working in retail,” The Parenthood CEO Georgie Dent said. “There is no early childhood education and care without educators.”

“Women make up 97 per cent of the early childhood educator workforce and desperately need a wage rise to provide cost-of-living and to help boost their own economic security.”

The Federal government’s recognition that a wage rise is needed to value care, help deliver universal early education and achieve women’s economic security is welcome.

“We look forward to learning details regarding the quantum, timing and mechanism by which the wage increase for early child educators will be funded.”

The Parenthood welcomes the inclusion of superannuation on paid parental leave from 1 July 2025, the additional $98.5million for inclusion support for children with additional needs in early learning, as well as the increased investment in funding SNAICC – the National Voice for First Nations Children.

“We are disappointed, however, that the Government has not responded to calls to remove or reform the activity test – the child care subsidy eligibility system that traps an estimated 40,000 women out of the workforce. We will continue to advocate for its removal.

“Whilst the test hasn’t been removed or reformed as we hoped, the commitments to improve Paid Parental Leave and fund a wage rise for educators are cause to celebrate. We look forward to learning details regarding the quantum, timing and mechanism by which the wage increase for early educators will be funded.”