Greens Senator Slams Gippsland Childcare Deserts

Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May will visit South Gippsland on Saturday to hear from communities concerned about the lack of early childhood education and care in their region.

New research published this week by Victoria University Mitchell Institute found 700,000 Australians live in childcare deserts.

"It's shocking that in a wealthy country like Australia, one in four people have no access to early childhood education and care because of their postcode."

"In South Gippsland, like in so many communities across Victoria, children are slipping through the cracks."

With the exception of a few regional hubs, much of South Gippsland consists of childcare deserts, where there are more than three children per childcare place, according to the report.

In South Gippsland's Stony Creek, 8.3 children compete for each childcare place and in Fish Creek up to 50 children compete for each childcare place.

"I'm hearing from parents whose kids are on multiple waiting lists, who are missing out on an early education because they can't secure childcare. As a result, parents are missing out on critical paid work in the middle of a cost of living crisis."

"Access to childcare shouldn't be subject to a postcode lottery."

"As long as the Labor Government continues to rely on profit-driven providers to fill childcare demand, childcare deserts like those that exist in South Gippsland will remain a shameful reality and families will continue to be left behind."

Senator Hodgins-May says childcare shortages are being compounded by a workforce leaving in droves.

"This is a workforce that is overwhelmingly comprised of women, who continue to take home less than two-thirds of the average weekly adult wage."

"Even with the Government's announced pay rise, early childhood educators are underpaid and simply can't afford to stay."

"Our early childhood educators perform the critical role of educating and caring for our kids in those crucial early years and they deserve the 25 percent pay rise that they have consistently called for."

Senator Hodgins-May says Australia's broken childcare system is in urgent need of repair.

"The Greens have consistently said that early learning is a fundamental right. Childcare should be treated like primary and secondary school - free, universal and high quality."

"We will continue to support families across Victoria who are urging the Government to properly fund and regulate the childcare sector, to make childcare free and universal, and to pay our educators what they deserve."