The issue of children’s safety in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services has become a central issue for Australian governments and parents around Australia following the arrest of two
educators charged with numerous cases of child sexual abuse in Queensland in August 2023 and Victoria in May 2025, and two charged with assault of a toddler in New South Wales in July 2025.
This submission seeks to inform the Economic Reform Roundtable of the gender implications of building economic resilience and the benefits from investing in gender equality. Workplace flexibility is improving but is at risk, and there is more to be done.
The NFAW supports measures that improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC), early childhood development (ECD) and the well-being of children and families.
The NFAW supports measures that improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC).
In general we support the provisions of the Bill. However, we note that there are key features of the current child care system implemented in 2018 which have not been addressed in this Bill. They warrant further consideration and review. Some of these issues were raised in the Government’s independent Evaluation of the Child Care Package (AIFS, 2022).
The National Foundation of Australian Women’s (NFAW) policy position on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) is set in the context of a productivity agenda to help boost economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly 1.3 million Australian children are enrolled in approved child care services.1 While the provision of affordable ECEC is a ‘workforce issue’, enabling parents to work outside the home, it is also critically important for the development of children.
Impacts of Government proposals to cut family benefits. 1.1 million families will lose FTB-A Supplements of $726 per child.
The National Foundation for Australian Women deplores both the content and process of the Bill now before the Parliament. We urge the Parliament to reject the Bill.
