Editorial: Childcare idea could be worthy

Australians have for some years been told improved childcare access is the key to unlocking extraordinary economic benefits. Influential lobby groups and economists have variously found for some time the national economy would be boosted — by as much as $70 billion each year — if women aged 25-45 had the same levels of workplace participation as men. That’s a contribution desperately needed. As the Grattan Institute noted, Australia is top globally for women’s education but 70th for economic participation — showing a real lack of ability to use women’s full potential. Indeed, other reports have suggested Australia must spend more than $20b each year to catch up to the standards in the sector set by Nordic countries. Other studies have shown child care has been unaffordable for up to 40 per cent of families — and, even worse, the market is unserved in some areas. Many of these are in regional and remote parts of the country, with issues plaguing the sector — such as finding the right staff and keeping them, and salaries and conditions — proving even more chronic the further from major cities you are. The competition regulator found earlier this year labour costs in the childcare sector had increased significantly over the past five years, and “staffing constraints are a barrier to more suppliers entering or expanding their operations . . . these are more pronounced in regional and remote locations”. These frustrations are not a revelation for anyone who’s had children in the past two decades, or knows someone who has, and the widespread issues have by some accounts turned people off using child care. So it’s heartening to see progress that appears to be making a real difference to a community that needs it. While it may not be an approach that can help every part of the State, the one taken by One Tree Community Services in Onslow, 300km from Karratha, the nearest large town, is worth further examination — particularly in areas where large employers need a workforce that often has young children. The centre’s been greatly supported by major employer Chevron, which has kicked in to allow staff to receive above-award wages, a $500 weekly allowance, two return flights to Perth each year, and a $3000 retention bonus. “Without it, I don’t think that we could either attract or retain staff,” general manager Sophie Martin said. If the private sector can manage to make child care work in Onslow, there are clearly lessons for the Federal Government to ensure regional and remote WA isn’t missed out in a broader effort to boost access to it. While the same incentives would not be feasible in other areas, and the Government has committed to increasing wages, WA, and indeed the nation, can ill afford to miss out on more children failing to receive the early years education they need. With examples like this, voters and the childcare sector alike — not to mention economists and other interest groups — will be keenly watching how the Government finally responds next month to the Productivity Commission’s examination of the sector.