Last night on ABC730, Adele Ferguson revealed more disturbing incidents exposed inside for-profit NSW childcare centres. 

“New evidence has come to light about what’s happening in some centres and it’s far worse than anyone thought.”

But what if the government offered early childhood education in the same way it offered school education? 

Australia Institute research shows reforming Australia’s approach to early childhood education would increase the size of the economy by $168 billion and allow the government to collect an additional $48 billion in revenue.

And higher prices don’t translate to better care: The Australian Government’s National Quality Framework shows that for-profit providers on average do worse than not-for-profit and state-owned providers when it comes to metrics like educational practice, children’s health and safety and staffing arrangements. Something confirmed by ABC’s investigative journalism into the sector.

“Not only is free childcare a form of fiscal stimulus, boosting consumer demand by increasing the disposable income of families with young children, but in the long run, it will significantly grow GDP and make Australia a far more equitable country,” said Matt Grudnoff, Australia Institute senior economist.

Of course, Australia already experimented with a Nordic model of providing free childcare during the pandemic, and it proved a big hit with families and for the economy. Naturally, the Morrison government put a stop to it almost immediately. Sigh.