The Minns Government is continuing its smart programs that deliver benefits to regional NSW communities with a new multimillion-dollar investment to address childcare shortages in three western NSW local government areas that will benefit many people and local economies.
The expansion of the Government's Workforce Activation Program to three new areas - Carrathool, Hay and Warrumbungle Shires - will be funded with $4.39 million to expand or upgrade eligible early childhood education and care services.
Improving access to childcare can have a significant impact in helping stay-at-home parents, particularly in underserved rural areas, stay in the workforce.
A recent study by the Regional Australia Institute confirmed that not having access to childcare services is hampering the ability of people to maximise their contribution to the local workforce.
This disproportionately impacts regional towns like these and contributes to worker shortages in essential services such as health care and education, plus in local businesses.
By freeing up people to enter the workforce this will have an immediate positive input to the local economy.
Projects eligible for funding include workforce attraction and development initiatives to address workforce shortages, infrastructure upgrades to accommodate more children, and service improvements.
The second phase of the pilot program builds on the success of the $5.6 million announced in November 2024, which created 189 additional childcare places in Broken Hill, Bourke and Cobar over the next 18 months.
Since November 2024, childcare centres in Broken Hill, Bourke and Cobar have advertised for additional childcare educators, engaged experts to deliver staff training workshops and finalised building plans for expansion.
The pilot program expansion considered childcare places available, population growth and the needs of communities where families may face more barriers to accessing childcare.
Applications for the grants open on Friday 29 August 2025, and close on Friday 7 November 2025.
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:
"We know that access to childcare in regional NSW is key to helping parents and carers return to work or training which will then contribute to their local economy.
"This $4.39 million investment means more families can fully participate in the workforce in Carrathool, Hay and Warrumbungle Shires and that is a positive outcome on many levels.
"The Minns Government is committed to growing the economy in western NSW and breaking down barriers to workforce participation and helping more parents and carers, particularly women, delivers a great return for everyone."
Program beneficiary Alex Page said:
"It's important that my wife and I can remain at work, we both undertake fairly important roles in terms of servicing our local community.
"Without being able to access childcare, my colleagues and I wouldn't be able to be in the workforce, and I'm one of the lucky parents whose kids have fulltime care across the week.
"All around Broken Hill it's very hard to get employees to work full time because they can't get childcare, and with greater access to childcare we'll be able to have more people back into the workforce - it is a gamechanger.
"To have the ability to move to the region and have access to childcare more easily would make it far more palatable and enjoyable for families to move from a major metro centre."
Program beneficiary Sarah Baum said:
"If I didn't have access to childcare services, I wouldn't be able to regain the financial independence to financially contribute to our household.
"With funding coming into childcare in Broken Hill creating additional childcare places will trickle on and flow out through the community.
"You'll have more people earning more money and more people injecting those funds back to into the economy and you'll have more people returning to work which will hopefully entice more people to come out to our region to help grow it."
