Thursday, 31 July 2025

Early childhood education and care

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (18:14): (1794) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Premier, and the action I seek is a commitment to a deadline for the release of all requested childcare safety documents from our motion on 18 June 2025. I rise today to raise my concern about the failure of the current early childhood education and care system to protect Victoria’s youngest children. Like so many families across Victoria, I also felt heartbroken watching story after story unfold in the news – stories of harm, of children not being properly cared for and of a system that is meant to nurture them completely falling short. My own nieces and nephews go to child care, and as a mother myself I know how much trust it takes to leave a child in someone else’s care.

Sadly, I was made aware of systemic issues before the recent media reports, in my role as the Greens spokesperson for early childhood education and care and child protection. That is why over a month ago I asked this government to hand over documents so we can all understand the full scale of this problem. My request asks for information on warnings, rule breaches and penalties issued to childcare providers since 2022, as well as how decisions around risk and compliance are being made. I made it clear that any personal information should be removed for privacy and safety, but my office still has not received a single document. Premier, these documents matter. They would help us understand where the system is breaking down and how we fix it in a bipartisan way. We know this because in New South Wales Greens MP Abigail Boyd secured access to similar documents. It prompted inquiry and reforms – much-needed changes to build a system that is safer.

The Victorian Greens have also renewed calls for an independent early childhood safety watchdog. Right now the Department of Education holds the dual roles of funding and regulating childcare services, with no independent oversight and effectively marking its own homework. This clear conflict of interest was identified by the Victorian Ombudsman and child safety experts. The Greens look forward to working with this government to make Victoria a safer place for our children.