Media release – Rebecca White MP, Tasmanian Labor Leader; Josh Willie MLC, Shadow Minister for Education and Early Years, 19 February 2024 

Labor’s childcare plan to create and fill 600 new Educator jobs

A new workforce plan will underpin Tasmanian Labor’s record childcare plan, training new educators to staff the new centres so parents can access local and affordable childcare in a cost of living crisis. 

We know our ambitious plan will require new workers – at various qualification levels – to provide education and care. 

That’s why we will fund 50 Early Childhood Education degrees through our existing scholarship program policy, and provide a $3 million professional development fund for educators to undertake diploma studies or other relevant short courses. Certificate IIIs in Early Childhood Education and Care will continue to be provided through the State-Federal fee-free TAFE program.

In return for access to government buildings, successful early childhood providers will offer above Award pay and conditions to support the retention of quality, professional educational staff.

Working with providers and local communities, the State Government will also step up and run centres through schools in hard to staff areas – starting with the west coast.

Taking urgent action on the cost of living is Labor’s top priority, and helping more families juggle work and kids will make a real difference.

Tasmanian Labor is serious about tackling the cost of living – the Liberals have had 10 years in government and if they haven’t made a difference by now they never will.

It’s time for a better future, where Tasmanian families can access the childcare they need so they can get to work and pay the bills.

Workforce development details:

  • $3 million professional development fund for educators to undertake diploma studies or other relevant short courses
  • 50 Early Childhood Education degree scholarships
  • In return for access to government buildings, successful early childhood providers will offer above Award pay and conditions to support the retention of quality, professional educational staff.
  • The State Government will also step up and run centres through schools in hard to staff areas – starting with the west coast.

Media release – Roger JaenschMinister for Education, Children and Youth, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Liberal Member for Braddon, 19 February 2024

Labor’s Child Care Hoax

Labor is continuing to roll out unfunded hoaxes masquerading as policies.

Its latest effort is a so-called childcare plan that promises to ‘step up and run child care centres through schools in hard to staff areas’.

Ms White has failed to explain what this actually means, how it would be achieved, what it will cost, and how it would be funded.

Ms White needs to answer these basic questions about her latest childcare announcement:

How much will these centres cost?

How will they be funded?

Who will staff them?

Will teachers be enlisted as childcare staff?

Ms White seems intent on bluffing her way through this election campaign relying on talking points and platitudes rather than coherent, costed policies.

Labor’s childcare policy will drive up childcare fees

Josh Willie should know that “it’s not rocket science” that the 25 per cent childcare wage increase he’s calling for will mean higher prices.

Mr Willie says “it’s not rocket science to recruit and retain staff”. Well, if he had ever run a small business he would know how absolutely out of touch that statement is.

Labor’s latest hoax policy released yesterday requires childcare operators seeking to use government land or buildings (wherever would they find these?) to pay above award wages in return.

Which means, higher childcare fees.

The simple fact is, Labor’s childcare policy will drive up childcare fees.

Josh Willie, Shadow Minister for Education and Early Years, 20 February 2024

Roger Jaensch needs to stop misrepresenting facts on childcare

His media release today and his comments regarding the cost of our child care centres are wrong.

My comments on a 25 per cent pay increase were about the federal government wages case and that it needs to be matched with federal subsidies.

In return for access to government land and buildings, our state-based policy will see successful providers offer above award pay and conditions to support the retention of quality, professional educational staff.

Some providers already pay above award now, so this policy can easily be achieved, especially when providers will have access to a capital fund, along with government land and buildings on favourable terms.

Minister Jaensch and the Liberals have had ten years to help working families but all they have done is throw their hands up and say it’s not their problem.

There is a clear choice at the next election. If working families want more education and care options to support their children’s development and their own participation in the workforce, they should vote Labor.