The Greens spokesperson for Early Childhood Education and Care, Senator Steph Hodgins-May, says last night's Federal Budget was a betrayal of early educators who have been carrying the sector through one of the hardest times in the sector's history.
The Budget failed to extend the worker retention payment, which is due to expire in November this year, despite expectations and reports that further wage support would be included in the budget.
Without an extension, 60,000 early educators currently receiving a 15 per cent wage boost now face an effective pay cut just weeks before Christmas, while they wait for the permanent award increases to be staggered over several years.
The Government also allocated no funding toward establishing a national Early Childhood Education and Care Commission, despite experts and the Greens calling for the commission in order to increase quality and safety and pave a way for a universal system. The budget instead offered only unfunded "consultation" on a "potential" commission.
Despite repeated promises from the Prime Minister that universal early childhood education would be part of his "legacy", the Budget delivered no new funding to make childcare genuinely universal, more affordable or easier to access.
As stated by Senator Steph Hodgins-May:
"This Budget confirms Anthony Albanese's childcare 'legacy' is nothing but staged photoshoots backed by empty words.
"Families drowning in childcare fees got nothing. Educators holding the sector together got shafted.
"After all the speeches, the inflated announcements and the self-congratulation, Labor has delivered absolutely nothing that moves Australia meaningfully closer to universal childcare.
"The cruelty of this Budget is staggering. Thousands of early educators are now facing a Christmas pay cut because Labor refused to extend a payment they themselves boast that the sector depends on.
"These are workers already leaving in droves because of burnout, low wages and now uncertainty about their future. Labor looked at that crisis and decided to make it worse.
"If Labor had the guts to make gas corporations pay their fair share of tax, we could build a world-class universal childcare system tomorrow, and still have money left over.
"Families are being smashed at the checkout, at the petrol bowser and by childcare bills that keep climbing, if they can even find a place at all.
"You cannot claim to be helping families while turning your back on the childcare system that makes work and study possible. This Budget exposes Labor's cruel contradiction."
"This government always finds money for corporations, fossil fuel handouts and wealthy interests, but when it comes to children and the mostly female workforce educating them, suddenly they come up short."
"Taxing the 1% could fund properly universal high-quality early education for every child and properly pay educators what they're worth."
