The passage of new childcare safety laws on 31 July will help hold dodgy providers accountable by stripping their government funding, but more comprehensive reform is needed to address the systemic issues compromising quality in Australia's early learning sector.

Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow, CEO of The Front Project, said that while the new powers to cut Child Care Subsidy funding from providers who breach safety standards represent an important step forward, they must be part of a broader reform agenda that includes establishing a National Early Childhood Commission and providing better support for educators.

"Having the power to strip funding from providers who consistently fail our children is welcome and overdue; however, this alone won't fix the underlying structural issues that compromise quality in our early learning system,” Dr Croser-Barlow said.

"We urgently need a National Early Childhood Commission to provide comprehensive oversight and system stewardship to ensure our world-leading quality standards are enforced uniformly.

"Without proper national coordination, we'll continue to see fragmented enforcement across states and territories, inconsistent application of quality standards, and gaps in accountability that put children at risk.

"The billions of dollars in public investment flowing into the sector demand proper oversight to ensure we're building a system that delivers on both access and quality."

Dr Croser-Barlow said supporting the early childhood workforce was equally critical to ensuring the new safety laws could be effectively implemented.

"Our educators are the backbone of the early learning system – they need proper support and resources to identify risks, implement safety protocols, and deliver the high-quality care our children deserve.

"Real reform means investing in the adults who work with our children, to ensure they have the time, space and resources they need to provide our youngest citizens with the highest quality of care and learning in the early years and the best possible start in life.

"This new law is a positive first step, but without addressing workforce conditions and establishing proper national oversight through a Commission, we're only treating the symptoms, not the cause.

"We urge the Federal Government to build on this momentum by prioritising the establishment of a National Early Childhood Commission and implementing concrete measures to support our workforce in this term of parliament," Dr Croser-Barlow said.

ENDS

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Rachel Wallbridge, Government Relations and Engagement Manager

0402 680 092

1 August 2025