Thrive by Five, a national campaign lobbying for significant childcare reform, has congratulated the Victorian Government for installing a Minister for Early Childhood.
The appointment of Ingrid Stitt makes Victoria just the second State to have a minister in the space and the only State to have a portfolio dedicated solely to early learning.
Thrive by Five CEO Jay Weatherill said other states should follow the lead of NSW and Victoria.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that early learning is an essential service so it should be treated like one and, as with other essential services, it should have a dedicated Minister,” Mr Weatherill said.
The push for a proper early learning system has been gaining momentum since the start of the pandemic and governments across the country are beginning to recognise the importance of the issue.
Thrive by Five, which launched on September 1, has already gained the support of prominent health professionals, unions, business groups, childcare providers, industry experts, women’s groups, economists and others from across the political spectrum.
The campaign is building strong grassroots support and proving that Australians are frustrated by the current system and want to see change.
“The support Thrive by Five has received since launching has been incredible, and now every government needs to decide which side of this they’ll be on; the side that benefits children, women, families and the economy, or the side that hurts them.
“We’ve seen a few state governments get on board and show leadership to varying degrees on this issue and we want to work with the Commonwealth Government so Canberra heads in the same direction.
“The more states and territories that come on board, the more momentum we’ll have behind us as we try to transform Australia’s fractured, expensive and outdated childcare system.”
