ECEC pricing inquiry interim report from ACCC expected “shortly”

Jason Clare MP, Federal Minister for Education has confirmed that he expects to release the much anticipated Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) interim report into early childhood education and care (ECEC) pricing practices “shortly.” 

 

The comments were made during a Melbourne doorstop with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 30 June 2023 and are the first such indication as to the timeline of the reports release provided over and above that given by the ACCC. 

 

“So we’ll release their interim report shortly. (Then) probably around September or so they (ACCC) will give us a consultation paper to release which will include some draft recommendations as well. Then we’ll get their final report at the end of the year,” Mr Clare said. 

 

It is understood by The Sector that the interim report will be made available for review by the public at some point in the next ten days with the consultation, as noted by Mr Clare, due for release in September. 

 

The consultation paper will be keenly awaited by sector stakeholders as it is likely to detail potential draft recommendations and/or draft findings that have been informed by a review of how approved provider’s pricing practices were conducted ahead of and during the transition to the new Child Care Subsidy affordability measures implemented on the 10 July 2023. 

 

Referring to the Consultation Paper Mr Clare noted that “we want to see whether there’s further action that’s needed there as well. This is going to be an important report.” 

 

“They (the ACCC) are watching what’s happening right now to see whether the centres are playing by the rules or not. Whether they’re lifting prices in accordance with inflation or not. And if they don’t, then they stand ready to act and give us the recommendations we need to make sure parents get value for money here.”

 

Editor’s note: This article stands to correct the record of when the ACCC Interim report was due to be released after a transcription error on the readout from the Melbourne Doorstep on the Prime Minister’s media website incorrectly quoted Mr Clare MP saying “So we’ll release their interim report shortly, probably around September or so,” when he actually said, as per Mr Clare’s transcript on his media site, “So we’ll release their interim report shortly,” before adding “Probably around September or so they’ll give us a consultation paper to release which will include some draft recommendations as well.”