Media Release – Josh Willie MP, Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years, 19 February 2026
Labor to Deliver Five Days of Kinder and Universal Pre-School for Tasmanian Kids
Too many Tasmanian children are starting school already behind because they haven’t had enough time and support in the early years.
At the same time, too many Tasmanian families are struggling to access and afford early learning and care when they need it, putting pressure on household budgets and family routines.
As a former teacher, I know education is the smartest investment we can make in Tasmania’s future – it changes lives, secures families, and builds our state.
That’s why I’m proud to announce a Tasmanian Labor Government will deliver five days of kindergarten in every public school and introduce universal access to pre-school for three-year-olds.
This is practical reform to lift educational outcomes, ease cost-of-living pressures for families, and support more parents to participate in the workforce.
Five days of kinder means more time for kids to learn, build confidence, and be ready for school – while giving families greater certainty and reducing the need for additional childcare.
It also makes it easier for parents, especially mums, to return to work or increase their hours if they choose.
Labor’s plan we will deliver:
- Five days of kindergarten for children in all Tasmanian public schools.
- Universal access to early learning for three-year-olds.
- Funding for upgrades to public schools for enabling infrastructure such as additional classrooms, toilets, and out-of-school hours care.
- Funding for long day-care centres to support them expand their footprint.
- More teachers and educators, through training, incentives, and clear career pathways to ensure these reforms can be delivered across the state.
This is about giving every Tasmanian child the strongest possible start in life – no matter where they live.
It’s about supporting families with cost-of-living pressures, growing our economy, and ensuring Tasmanian kids stop falling behind their mainland peers.
Media Release – Jo Palmer, Minister for Education, 19 February 2026
Labor’s Backflip on Early Years
It is taken 10 years for Labor to agree to a policy similar to Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s from a decade ago.
But the Opposition leader has forgotten important details in his newfound support for the policy: including the key question of how much is it going to cost?
Tasmanians will rightly be asking how the Opposition Leader can launch a policy with no costing and no detail.
Mr Willie blocked similar reforms by Premier Rockliff, it is great to see him finally adopting Liberal policy.
While Labor has spent a decade fighting reforms, our Liberal Government has expanded early learning, boosted the workforce, delivered six new Child and Family Learning
Centres, and invested in more childcare facilities.
Given Labor’s backflip, our Government is happy to reconsider the policy after it is properly costed and most importantly we see the evidence that this will deliver better outcomes for our youngest learners.
Media Release – Josh Willie MP, Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years, Shadow Minister for Economic Development, 19 February 2026
Latest Jobs Data Shows Why Early Years Reform is Critical for Tasmania
The latest jobs data from the ABS confirms Tasmania’s economy continues to be held back by low workforce participation and high underemployment – reinforcing why Labor’s early years reform is exactly what Tasmania needs.
Tasmania’s workforce participation rate has fallen again and remains by far the lowest in the nation, more than 6 percentage points below the national average.
At the same time, Tasmania has the equal highest underemployment rate in the country, highlighting deep structural problems in the state’s labour market.
Labor’s plan to deliver five days of kinder in every public school, and universal access to pre-school for three-year-olds will help lift participation, support families, and grow the economy.
If Tasmania’s participation rate was in line with the national average, thousands more Tasmanians would be in work, families would be better off, and the economy would be significantly stronger.
It’s a billion-dollar opportunity for our state.
Investing in early years is how we lift participation, grow the economy, and build a stronger Tasmania.
Media Release – Josh Willie MP, Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years, 20 February 2026
Early Years Reform Critical to Lift Participation, Support Families and Grow Tasmania’s Economy
Labor’s plan to deliver five days of kinder and universal pre-school for three-year olds is more than just education policy – it’s structural reform for Tasmania’s economy.
Tasmania has the lowest workforce participation rate in the nation and the highest underemployment. Women’s participation remains well below the national average, and employers across the state continue to face skill shortages.
Lifting Tasmania’s participation rate to the national average is a billion-dollar opportunity for our state.
The biggest barrier holding families back is access to early education and childcare.
Travelling around the state, I hear it all the time from families – they want to work but they can’t get the care they need. When that happens, they are forced to cuts hours or leave the workforce altogether.
Labor’s plan to deliver five days of kinder in every public school and universal access to pre-school for three-year-olds will help address that.
Five days of kinder will give children more time to learn and grow, while reducing pressure on long day care services and free up places for younger children.
Universal access to pre-school for three-year-olds will give families more options and help ease cost-of-living pressures.
It’s good for kids. Good for families. Good for Tasmania.
Media Release – Josh Willie MP, Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years, Shadow Minister for Economic Development, 21 February 2026
Five Day Kinder to Deliver for Regional Families
Five days of kinder will be great for Tasmanian kids and families – giving more children time to learn, build confidence and be ready for school, while easing cost-of-living pressure and helping parents get back to work.
Labor’s plan to deliver five days of kindergarten and universal pre-school for three-year-olds is about making sure every child, no matter where they live, has access to high-quality early learning.
For too many regional communities, including the Huon, access to childcare and early learning is one of the biggest barriers families face. Parents are being forced to drive long distances, join lengthy waiting lists, or reduce their hours at work because they simply can’t access the services they need.
That’s not fair on families, and it’s holding regional communities back.
Labor’s plan will expand access to early learning right across Tasmania, giving more families in regional areas the support they need while ensuring more children are ready for school.
This is about more than education – it’s about supporting families, strengthening regional communities, and growing Tasmania’s economy.
When parents can access affordable, reliable early learning close to home, they can return to work or increase their hours. That means more household income, less pressure on family budgets, and more people participating in the workforce.
It also means better outcomes for children, with more time to develop the social, emotional, and learning skills they need to succeed at school and beyond.
We recognise that the challenges are particularly acute in regional areas, and we are committed to working with communities like the Huon to make sure these reforms deliver real, practical improvements on the ground.
It’s good for kids. Good for families. Good for Tasmania.
“Across the Huon, access to childcare and early learning is one of the biggest issues families raise with me – it’s holding people back from working and putting real cost-of-living pressure on households,” Labor Candidate for Huon Abby McKibben said.
“In too many parts of our region, families simply can’t find a place close to home, or they can’t afford the options that are available. That means parents are forced to cut back their hours, turn down work, or leave the workforce altogether.
“Labor’s plan is exactly the kind of initiative our region needs while also building the workforce to support it, and I can’t wait to take this policy right across the Huon and talk to families about how it will make a difference.”
