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Labor hides cuts to kinder

The Andrews Labor Government continues to hide the negative impact of its recent kinder changes on not-for-profit kindergartens.

Under Labor’s changes, ‘the best’ kindergartens receive a tick of quality in a new government rating system if they meet certain quality indicators. However, the service must also be signed up to the Labor government’s free kinder program in addition to meeting quality indicators to receive the tick.

It has been reported that as many as 1 in 10 kindergartens will lose revenue under the changes, in some cases up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, or face loss of enrolments if they don’t sign up.

Early this month, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education Matt Bach asked the Minister for Early Childhood in Parliament, how many kindergartens would be financially worse off. The Minister would not answer.

The number of kindergartens who will be worse off financially under the changes would not be made public, as revealed In Public Accounts and Estimates hearings.

In a further government assault on kindergartens and early learning centres, it was reported yesterday that more than 200 centres will not receive the government’s tick of approval, even though they meet or exceed national quality standards, simply because they have not signed up for the changes.

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Education, Early Childhood, Higher Education, Training and Skills, David Hodgett:

“These Andrews Labor Government changes to kindergarten funding are ill-conceived and will force financial losses on many kindergartens.”

Comments attributable to Shadow Assistant Minister for Education, Early Childhood, Higher Education, Training and Skills, Matthew Bach:

“Following the hardship of remaining viable through COVID lockdowns, kindergarten communities and parents are once again facing the task of struggling to survive due to these Andrews Labor Government changes to kindergarten funding”.

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