Table of Contents
Calls Grow for Fairer Funding for Hawkesbury Community Preschools
Community preschools across the Hawkesbury could face increasing pressure unless the NSW Government moves to boost funding and address wage disparities for early childhood educators, local MP Robyn Preston has warned.
The call follows a recommendation from the Fair Work Commission to lift the pay and conditions of teachers and educators — a move that has intensified debate over how community preschools are funded .
In a joint media release issued on 18 February, Shadow Minister for Early Education Felicity Wilson and Hawkesbury MP Robyn Preston said the Minns Labor Government must respond to the Commission’s recommendation by increasing funding to enable community preschools to match wages offered in public settings .
Community preschools, which provide early education services to families across NSW, have been seeking additional government support for months to help lift wages for early childhood educators. Despite undertaking similar training, educators in community preschools are often paid less than their counterparts in public preschools .
Ms Wilson said the Government had failed to address what she described as a growing workforce crisis across more than 700 community preschools statewide .
“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,” she said .
She argued that the pay disparity makes it difficult for community preschools to attract and retain qualified staff, particularly when they cannot compete with higher wages offered elsewhere .
Ms Preston said the issue is particularly pressing in peri-urban and rural communities such as the Hawkesbury.
“In peri-urban and rural communities such as Hawkesbury, lower population density and limited commercial viability already make service delivery challenging. Without proper funding, we risk losing the very preschools that our families rely upon,” she said .
She called on the Government to increase Start Strong funding and expand preschools on public school grounds to secure the long-term sustainability of community services .
The media release states that early childhood educators took legal action to pursue fair remuneration, with the Fair Work Commission now recommending improved pay and conditions .
The issue comes amid ongoing national concern about workforce shortages in early childhood education, with many services struggling to recruit and retain staff.
For Hawkesbury families, the outcome of the funding debate could have direct implications for access to local preschool places and the viability of long-standing community-run centres.
Deputy Premier of NSW and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car says:
“Community preschools play a vital role in giving children the best start before school, and that’s why we have provided increased funding through the Start Strong program.
“However, wages are a matter for the preschools themselves, as they are the employer - not the state government.
“The government will carefully consider all of the Commission’s recommendations, including that a review of funding takes place.”
Residents seeking more information can contact Robyn Preston MP Hawkesbury office on (02) 4578 0300 .
