Policy

Report Summaries

Affordability & Accessibility

Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce recommends early learning reform

Freya Lucas

Oct 24, 2023

Save

The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce has provided the Australian Government with its final report, making seven primary recommendations focusing on the key themes of care, work, education and skills, the tax and transfer system, and government processes.

Central to the report is the identification of early childhood education and care (ECEC) as a pivotal component of female workforce participation, and a number of ECEC-focused reform recommendations including:

Legislating and investing in universal, high-quality and affordable ECEC that meets the needs of modern families, and is culturally appropriate;

Immediately abolishing the Child Care Subsidy Activity Test;

Increasing the parental leave payment to 52 weeks and offering leave payment at replacement wage level;

Paying superannuation on the paid parental leave entitlement and incentivising males to use the scheme; and,

Elevating the status of care work to attract a skilled and diverse workforce.

“The report recognises the need for a nation-wide cultural shift, in which the responsibility of caring for kids and generating family income is shared equally between parents. This is a shift that will take years to see tangibly, so we really need to start now,” said The Parenthood Interim CEO Jessica Rudd.Women's Economic Equality: A 10-year plan to unleash the full capacity and contribution of women to the Australian economy provides the Government with practical advice on how to address issues and barriers that women face in the Australian economy.

“The Government will consider these recommendations alongside the analysis and policy directions of the Employment White Paper as we continue to develop a National Strategy to achieve gender equality that will be released in 2024,” said Federal Minister for Finance, Minister for Women, and Minister for the Public Service the Hon. Katy Gallagher.

The final report of the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce is available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website.

Don’t miss a thing

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

More than 100 regulatory officers conducted unannounced inspections at over 220 early learning services in a single-day compliance operation, as the NSW Early Learning Commission intensifies oversight across the sector.

Failing the Most Vulnerable: Two WA Childcare Providers Penalised Over Supervision Breaches

In February the Western Australian State Administrative Tribunal handled two separate disciplinary proceedings brought by the CEO of the Department of Communities against out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) providers. Both cases highlight critical failures in active supervision, particularly concerning highly vulnerable children diagnosed with autism who managed to wander away from their respective services unnoticed.

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

A permit-approved early learning and medical asset in Melbourne’s west is set to test investor appetite for secure income, long-term leases and value-add potential in a high-growth corridor.

Integrated school and early learning hubs linked to stronger transitions and family engagement

A new evaluation has found that integrating early learning, health and family support services within schools significantly improves access for families and strengthens outcomes for children, adding momentum to calls for expansion of integrated hubs across Victoria.

AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) has reported increasing adoption of its evidence-based guidance across Australian schools and early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, signalling a strengthening national focus on research-informed practice.

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

Failing the Most Vulnerable: Two WA Childcare Providers Penalised Over Supervision Breaches

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

A permit-approved early learning and medical asset in Melbourne’s west is set to test investor appetite for secure income, long-term leases and value-add potential in a high-growth corridor.

Integrated school and early learning hubs linked to stronger transitions and family engagement

AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

Don’t miss a thing

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

Failing the Most Vulnerable: Two WA Childcare Providers Penalised Over Supervision Breaches

Fiona Alston

Feb 20, 2026

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

Economics

Affordability & Accessibility

Provider

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

Integrated school and early learning hubs linked to stronger transitions and family engagement

AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

2026 anaphylaxis action plan updates and what they mean for early childhood leaders

Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce recommends early learning reform

The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce has provided the Australian Government with its final report, making seven primary recommendations focusing on the key themes of care, work, education and skills, the tax and transfer system, and government processes.

Don’t miss a thing

Related Articles

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

Failing the Most Vulnerable: Two WA Childcare Providers Penalised Over Supervision Breaches

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

Integrated school and early learning hubs linked to stronger transitions and family engagement

AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

Related Articles

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

Failing the Most Vulnerable: Two WA Childcare Providers Penalised Over Supervision Breaches

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

Integrated school and early learning hubs linked to stronger transitions and family engagement

AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

Don’t miss a thing

Related Articles

Loading...

NSW Early Learning Commission conducts 220 unannounced visits

Failing the Most Vulnerable: Two WA Childcare Providers Penalised Over Supervision Breaches

Prime childcare and medical investment opportunity hits the market in Thornhill Park

Integrated school and early learning hubs linked to stronger transitions and family engagement

AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

2026 anaphylaxis action plan updates and what they mean for early childhood leaders

Regulation 168: do you understand your leadership responsibilities

Beyond headcounts: mastering lines of sight and active supervision in ECEC

What is missing in the ECEC sector to support proactive crisis management?

Keep Exploring