Daniel Andrews secures third term as Victorian premier with significant pledges for ECEC

Daniel Andrews will again serve as the Premier of Victoria following the weekend’s election, in what has been termed “an emphatic victory”.

The Premier has promised big things for early childhood education and care (ECEC) including: 

• opening 50 government-run early childhood centres in areas of high need 
• co-locating (where possible) these services with schools
• introducing a year of Pre-Prep learning, with four-year-old kinder transitioning to universal pre-prep from 2032
• kinder will be made free from 2023
• establish a workforce package to tackle skills shortages 
• roll out 30 hours of pre-prep across the state.

“Our positive plan is for every single Victorian,” the Premier said in a speech on Sunday. 

“We will govern for you. We will govern for your kids, for your health, for your education, your future.” 

“We are a progressive state, we are a thoughtful state, we are the centre of critical thinking, we are the centre of all the big ideas in our nation.”

“I grew up being taught, everyday, that with opportunity comes a profound obligation to do your best, to work hard, to do what matters,” he added.

“That’s exactly what I’ve delivered over these last eight years and I’m humbled and so grateful, so, so grateful, that Victorians have re-elected a majority Labor government.”