[Australia] Fair pay for early childhood educators locked in

Following its funding of a 15 per cent pay rise for Early Education and Care Workers, the Australian Government is set to invest a further $3.6 billion over the next two years to lock in the pay rise for early childhood educators

This investment will be tied to a commitment from Child Care Centres to limit fee increases. According to the Hon Rebecca White MP - Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health and Assistant Minister for Women - the government wants to ensure that workers can be fairly paid without costs being passed on to families.

Ms White said, “When combined with our support for minimum and award wage rises, this will mean $255 more per week for a typical full-time educator and $410 more per week for early childhood teachers, compared to December 2024 when the Government first implemented the pay rise.

She added that the funding will continue to be tied to a commitment from services receiving the payment to limit fee increases for parents, helping to ease cost-of-living pressure while delivering better early learning for children.

Jess Walsh - Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth - said, “For too long, our early childhood educators were underpaid, undervalued and overlooked. 

“And as a result, they were walking out the door.

“With the Albanese Labor Government’s 15 per cent pay rise, we’re seeing that turn around.

“This helps create a long-term stable workforce, and that strengthens the whole sector.

“This announcement is the foundation of our reforms to improve quality in early education and care and to make it more affordable for families by properly valuing our early educators.”

Source: Health.gov.au

(Quotes via original reporting)

Following its funding of a 15 per cent pay rise for Early Education and Care Workers, the Australian Government is set to invest a further $3.6 billion over the next two years to lock in the pay rise for early childhood educators

This investment will be tied to a commitment from Child Care Centres to limit fee increases. According to the Hon Rebecca White MP - Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health and Assistant Minister for Women - the government wants to ensure that workers can be fairly paid without costs being passed on to families.

Ms White said, “When combined with our support for minimum and award wage rises, this will mean $255 more per week for a typical full-time educator and $410 more per week for early childhood teachers, compared to December 2024 when the Government first implemented the pay rise.

She added that the funding will continue to be tied to a commitment from services receiving the payment to limit fee increases for parents, helping to ease cost-of-living pressure while delivering better early learning for children.

Jess Walsh - Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth - said, “For too long, our early childhood educators were underpaid, undervalued and overlooked. 

“And as a result, they were walking out the door.

“With the Albanese Labor Government’s 15 per cent pay rise, we’re seeing that turn around.

“This helps create a long-term stable workforce, and that strengthens the whole sector.

“This announcement is the foundation of our reforms to improve quality in early education and care and to make it more affordable for families by properly valuing our early educators.”

Source: Health.gov.au

(Quotes via original reporting)