Felicity Wilson MP
Shadow Minister for Early Education
The NSW Liberals and Nationals ongoing call for the Minns Labor Government to provide more support for community preschools has been backed up by the Fair Work Commission’s recommendation to lift the pay and conditions of teachers and educators.
Community preschools have been asking the Minns Labor Government for months and months to provide funding for higher wages for early childhood educators who, despite having to undertake similar training, are paid less than teachers.
Shadow Minister for Early Education, Felicity Wilson, said that the Minns Labor Government must accept the Fair Work Commission’s recommendation to boost funding for community preschools to enable them to lift the wages of our state’s early childhood educators in line with their colleagues in public preschools.
“The Minns Labor Government likes to talk the talk on early learning, but has been missing in action on the workforce crisis facing the more than 700 community preschools providing an incredible service for our children across NSW,” Ms Wilson said.
“Entry level primary school teachers are currently on a higher wage than a community preschool director, a widening gap which this Government has failed to address.”
“This pay disparity limits the ability of our community preschools to attract and retain highly qualified staff when they can’t offer anywhere near as much pay as their competition.”
“It says everything about the Minns Labor Government’s arrogance that early childhood educatorshad to take the Premier and Minister for Education to court to settle the request for fair remuneration.”
"The independent umpire has now spoken and the Minns Labor Government need to take this recommendation seriously and properly value our community preschool educators.”
“I call on the Premier and Minister for Education to accept the Fair Work Commission’s recommendations and finally value our community preschool educators and the families they serve.”
“The NSW Liberals and Nationals have stood alongside our community preschool educators and championed fair funding and fair pay. It’s time for the Government to finally step up and act.”