Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Holt for her question and for her tireless advocacy for children and families in the electorate of Holt. The member for Holt understands that early childhood workers provide an essential service and that a sustainable and secure early childhood education and care workforce is a foundation. It's a foundation for a universal early childhood education system that's affordable, that's accessible and that's inclusive. Early childhood educators and teachers do highly skilled work and professional work. But, for too long, they haven't been valued. They just have not had the remuneration that reflects that professionalism. Because of this, for far too long, we've been losing workers from the sector. I'm pleased to say that there are now around 30,000 more early childhood education workers than when we first came into office in 2022, and that is in no small measure due to the efforts of this government, not just to grow the workforce but, importantly, also to properly value this highly feminised workforce. A critical part of this is our historic 15 per cent wage increase, an investment by the Albanese Labor government. Two hundred thousand early childhood workers right across Australia could have another $100 at least more in their pay packets by Christmas this year. By next year, that could be more than $150 in their pay packets. That's how you grow an essential workforce. That's how you ensure that children, families and communities have access to early childhood education.

It really just seems like a no-brainer. Parents know this; early childhood educators know this; people in the sector know this—that, to truly value the workforce, to keep the workforce, you need to pay them more. But not everyone in this place gets this. Not everyone in this place understands this. The shadow minister for early childhood education said, and I quote—

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