Excerpts
Labor is quietly advancing plans for universal childcare in Australia, with new laws to require private operators to hand over sensitive commercial data needed to design a new national system.
Anthony Albanese wants a dramatic expansion in quality childcare services to form part of his political legacy and has pledged to move forward with the plans this term.
The government has already commissioned a private research project on sector wages, property costs and the experience of families and operators, in order to understand the scale of the ambition.
New changes to tax laws used to facilitate childcare benefits and other government payments are being progressed through parliament to allow the Department of Education to require private companies to hand over data about costs and services pricing.
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The government will spend at least $10.4m on the research, with Deloitte required to assess service demands and collect data across the early childhood education system.
Findings will help inform “further decisions about the pathway” towards universal childcare.
Albanese said earlier this month plans for universal childcare would be progressed from next year.
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