ACT moves quickly to set up hotline as Genius Childcare payment questions mount

The ACT Education Directorate has set up a phone line for families and staff looking for more information and support regarding Genius Childcare centres in the region in the wake of a fresh round of wages and super related non-payment allegations. 

As reported by the ABC on 2 December 2024, fifteen staff at Genius’s Gowrie centre resigned from their roles citing ongoing concerns that pay and superannuation had been delayed and that uncertainty around being paid had reached intolerable levels.

The challenges experienced by team members and families prompted Caitlin Tough, a Labor Member of the Legislative Assembly who has three Genius centres in her electorate of Brindbella, to present a Private Members motion in the Legislative Assembly calling on the ACT government to work with regulators and other jurisdictions to ensure Genius was complying with its obligations.

In addition, the motion compelled Genius to ensure all current and former staff, and contractors, were paid any owed wages, superannuation, and other entitlements.

The motion received unanimous support and led to the setting up of the hotline. 

In a statement that has not been seen by The Sector, but which was reported by the ABC, a Genius spokesperson said “As we continue to scale rapidly, some operational adjustments have been necessary.”

“We are actively addressing these issues and implementing improved processes to ensure a smoother experience for both our staff and the families we serve.”

“Affected staff have been notified, payments expedited, and safeguards implemented to prevent recurrence” before adding that it also confirmed that superannuation and annual leave entitlements would be paid to staff.

This latest round of alleged payment related irregularities follows concerns raised by the United Workers Union in a 28 May letter to Genius management that cited payment discrepancies being experienced by its members at the time, with the matter first raised publicly by the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) on 5 June 2024.