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Division of Labour
How the new early childhood Ministers will work

In last month's newsletter we advised that we had sought clarification from the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) on on how the appointment of two ministers for early childhood and child care would operate with respect to the division of the portfolio.

DEEWR has advised us that as the senior Minister, Mr Garrett will oversee the whole portfolio while taking day-to-day responsibility for universal access to preschool, early childhood development and Indigenous early childhood.

Under the new arrangements Minister Ellis will focus on the delivery of child care programs and payments to families and providers in the early childhood sector.

In a recent speech at Early Childhood Australia's National Conference Minister Garrett said he was aware that there were some concerns in the industry how the division of responsibilities would impact the sector but said the Government was committed to ensuring a coordinated approach.

"We have worked too hard over the last three years to make integration a national priority to risk any fragmentation or reduction in effort.

To this end, we'll be working together on all of the Government's early childhood functions – including early learning, child care and the National Quality Agenda.

And all these initiatives will remain within the broad education portfolio, within the Office of Early Childhood Education and Child Care which the Government created in its first term," he said.

Minister Ellis also spoke at the conference reiterating the Government's goal to maintain a coordinated approach to managing the changes ahead and describing the change as a 'positive development':

"We now have the first ever Cabinet Minister for Early Childhood Education, in Peter Garrett. And I believe that this is a wonderful development.

As you know there is much to be done and we have an ambitious agenda. From Universal Access to pre-school, the Early Childhood Development Strategy and framework, the AEDI, our National Partnerships with the states, Indigenous Early Childhood Development and the new Early Learning and Care Centres, Minister Garrett is going to be busy and inspired with this important work on progressing this vital portfolio."

Minister Ellis also sought to remind listeners that she would be marching forward with the Government's reform agenda:

"I am passionate about seeing this historical reform implemented for the benefit of our dedicated child care providers and workforce and equally for the benefit for the 800,000 Australian families who access child care. And I want to see it through.

We have reached historic agreement with the States and Territories through COAG but still have much work to do to keep these reforms on track and on time. I'm delighted to be able to offer consistency in this process and see these great changes become a reality," she said.

How do you think the child care sector will be impacted by having two ministers working across the different areas?

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