Wednesday, 13 August 2025

Early childhood education and care

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): My question is to the Premier. Today the childcare regulator has again been exposed for failing to do its job. Despite this, the Minister for Children has said that the child regulator ‘is effectively doing its job’ and the terms of reference from the government’s review explicitly state it ‘is not intended to be a review of the performance or governance of the Victorian regulatory authority’. Given the catastrophic failings of the regulator, why has it been excluded from the government’s review?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:16): In answering the Leader of the Opposition’s question – indeed I was asked a very similar question yesterday – I reiterate and reinforce the answer to the question yesterday, which includes, as I said in the answer to the earlier question, that the system clearly does need to be strengthened, which is why, in addition to the immediate actions that have been taken around having an early childhood worker registration scheme that has some thousands of people now registered on that register, the rapid review that is underway and is –

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance, the question is very clear about the exclusion of the regulator from the review as outlined within the terms of reference from the government.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, on the point of order, there is no point of order. The Premier has been on her feet for around 40 seconds, and she is directly addressing the question. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order and let the Premier get on with outlining the terms of reference for the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition.

The SPEAKER: I will give the Premier time to come back to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I advised the house yesterday, the terms of reference do go to information sharing between regulators and agencies both within Victoria and across jurisdictions, which is something that is necessary.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance, it was a very clear question that went to the exclusion of the regulator. Should it help the Premier, it says it ‘is not intended to be a review of the performance or governance of the Victorian regulatory authority’, and I am happy to make that available to the house if the Premier has not got it. It clearly excludes the regulatory authority.

The SPEAKER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to state his points of order succinctly. The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I was about to advise the house, one of the challenges around a system that needs to be strengthened is information sharing. Indeed it goes to some of the questions that were asked in this place earlier today. It is clear that one of the issues with the early childhood and childcare system, not just across Victoria but across the nation, across the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, is information sharing between regulators, which is why it is part of the rapid review. And as I have said previously, we will act to keep children safe when we receive that work.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual, and the fact of the matter is that the regulator is excluded from her review. I would ask you to ask the Premier to be factual, please.

The SPEAKER: Members are expected to be factual at all times. The Premier has concluded her answer.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): Yesterday and today the Premier said that the system needs to be strengthened. Why is the minister telling parents that the regulator is effectively doing its job while the Premier says the system is not strong enough to keep children safe?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:20): I think the Leader of the Opposition knows the context in which the hardworking Minister for Children made that statement. It was in the context of the work that the regulator has been doing in meeting its obligations around the inspection framework that it operates within. But I reiterate that the system does need to be strengthened. We have undertaken immediate steps and will go further, because as I have said from day one, we need to do more to keep children safe. That is why in receiving the rapid review we will accept all recommendations of that review and take further action on its recommendations.