Western Australia's only independent Senator Fatima Payman is seeking an update on the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund (BEEF), which remains unallocated despite being announced almost a year ago.
In the most recent Senate Estimates, Senator Payman asked the following questions, which remain unanswered six weeks later:
Have you determined the criteria for allocating BEEF to the locations of true unmet demand?
Can they be sure that the choices will deliver truly affordable access for families in those communities?
How will this fund be used to target the most vulnerable communities?
When do they intend to open the first grant rounds?
When do they think the first services will be open?
Senator Payman said she commended the Government for attempting to address the early childhood education crisis, but the lack of transparency and urgency was causing angst.
"Young families and expecting families in my home state of Western Australia continue to raise concerns about the lack of access to quality and early childhood education," she said.
"The Government has a great opportunity to invest properly in the industry and provide our young Australians with the best start in their lives, while allowing parents to return to work when they're ready rather than when finances dictate."
