ACA NSW announces new committee for 2024/2025

The New South Wales branch of the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA NSW) has announced the appointment of its Executive Committee for 2024/2025 following its Annual General Meeting, held 28 October 2024.

The Executive Committee is as follows: 

1. President – Lynette Connolly 
2. Vice-President – Nicole Upfold 
3. Treasurer – Mark Wharton
4. Secretary – Eleni Wilson
5. Committee Member – Donus Demir
6. Committee Member  – Renae Donovan
7. Committee Member – Adrian Pattra-McLean
8. Committee Member  – Diane Saba
9. Committee Member  – Joan Stone
10. Committee Member  – Rita Totino
11. Committee Member  – Nate Wang

ACA NSW expressed gratitude to all ACA NSW members for their nominations to stand for election as well as for the independent and external election process conducted.

The AGM also confirmed the minutes of the last AGM held on 30 October 2023, the President’s Report, the Financial Report, the (external) Auditor’s Report as well as the (re-)appointment of the Auditor (Stuart Cameron of KS Black & Co).

ACA NSW Members in attendance also discussed a range of significant sector issues, including (in no particular order):

• the Worker Retention Payments and Supported Bargaining Process, the spectrum of sector views, plus ACA NSW’s and ACA National Committee’s communiques to ACA NSW members since June 2023

• the regulators and their Authorised Officers as well as their conduct with services

• the current and future governments as well as ACA references in Hansard

• the CCMS platforms and Starting Blocks website

• the Start Strong funding’s potentially new reconciliation/acquittal process(es)/format(s) and the need for CCMS platforms to be ready for such changes

• the Assessment & Ratings process and its ability/inability to truly reflect quality

• the breaches and non-compliances, ACECQA’s internal review of reviewable decision as well as the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal

• the continuing labour shortages

• the services’ level of engagement as well as fatigue

• the 100+50 vs 500 preschools on school grounds

• the possible versions of “Universal Childcare” in the future

• the level of information and engagement provided online (for free) vs why be an ACA NSW member

• the ACA NSW member engagements and communications, for example the Members-Only meetings, the Inner Circle meetings, the ACA NSW team, and ACA NSW’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok)

• the ACA National Committee

ACA NSW members can request any/all documents related to the Annual General Meeting, as well as seek any further information/clarification by contacting the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or [email protected]