{"id":18302,"date":"2022-09-20T12:08:29","date_gmt":"2022-09-20T12:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=18302"},"modified":"2022-09-20T12:08:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-20T12:08:29","slug":"landmark-childcare-legislation-to-be-introduced-to-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2022\/09\/20\/landmark-childcare-legislation-to-be-introduced-to-parliament\/","title":{"rendered":"Landmark childcare legislation to be introduced to parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Parents across NSW will soon have more accessible and affordable quality childcare with legislation for the up to $5 billion Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund to be introduced to Parliament this week.
 
The Fund brings the NSW Government a step closer to delivering on its $15.9 billion commitment announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget to transform the lives of families across the State.
 
Legislating the Fund guarantees NSW families can enjoy the benefits of this important initiative for decades to come, and gives long-term certainty to the childcare sector.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the NSW Government\u2019s early childhood education reforms are estimated to boost affordable childcare supply by up to 47,000 places when combined with changes to the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy.
 
\u201cThis landmark investment will give our children the best start in life, support the parents who need it most and help women return to paid work when they want,\u201d Mr Kean said.
 
\u201cThe NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Bill 2022 will help give more people in our State the opportunity to choose both a career and a family by easing cost of living pressures.
\u201cThese nation-leading reforms are also estimated to close the gender workforce participation gap by up to 14 per cent and increase household incomes by up to $4,400 on average within a decade.\u201d
 
Mr Kean said the Fund, delivered alongside the Commonwealth\u2019s childcare reforms, is expected to allow up to 95,000 women to enter the workforce or take on more hours.
 
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the Fund adds to other measures announced in the Budget to improve women\u2019s economic opportunity, boost their workplace participation and tackle the gender pay gap.
 
\u201cThis Fund will help break the childcare drought by targeting areas with limited access and trialling new service models to meet the needs of modern families,\u201d Mrs Taylor said.
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the Fund will provide opportunities for the early childhood sector to grow, be innovative to the needs of families and support children with the highest quality education and care.
 
\u201cEnshrining this in law will guarantee investment in the sector and improve quality in both infrastructure and the workforce. We\u2019ll continue to work with providers on the Fund\u2019s rollout to best support the formative years of children\u2019s lives,\u201d Ms Mitchell said.
 
Over the next decade the NSW Government is spending $15.9 billion on childcare and early education, including:
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