The Victorian Opposition has unveiled a new six-point plan aimed at fixing gaps in the state’s childcare system, citing years of inaction and mounting complaints under the current government. The proposals follow a sharp rise in complaints to the sector’s regulator and a corresponding fall in enforcement, sparking concerns from parents, educators and community advocates.
According to the Victorian Liberals and Nationals, complaints to the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD) have jumped by 45 per cent since 2018, while enforcement actions have dropped by two-thirds over the same period. Opposition Leader Brad Battin says this imbalance cannot continue.
“Every child deserves to be safe, and every parent deserves the confidence that the system protecting their child is working. Labor has failed to provide that,” Battin said. “This is about doing what Labor hasn’t, taking decisive steps to protect children and rebuild trust.”
The plan, which the Coalition says is ready to be legislated, includes both structural and practical changes. At its core is a proposal to overhaul the Working With Children Check system, giving assessors broader discretion to consider any information that might affect a person’s suitability to work with children. It also calls for a new independent watchdog to oversee safety in early learning settings, with powers to prevent, investigate and report misconduct.
Other measures include giving parents live access to centre-specific compliance and safety data, establishing a central register of early childhood workers, and requiring childcare centres to ban personal phones and install CCTV where appropriate. The Coalition also wants federal childcare subsidies to be linked to a centre’s safety performance. This model is already used in aged care and schools and would, according to the Opposition, drive accountability in early learning settings too.
Jess Wilson, the Shadow Minister for Education, said the plan draws directly from community concerns and is designed for immediate rollout.
“We’ve put forward practical, targeted reforms that will make a difference right now,” Wilson said. “Labor’s approach has been to review the reviews. Meanwhile, parents are left in the dark, and kids are left exposed.”
The Victorian Government has faced growing pressure over the regulation of childcare services after several incidents raised questions about how complaints and risks are handled. Critics say reviews launched by the Allan Government have done little to restore public trust or result in meaningful change. Some providers have backed calls for more transparency but remain cautious about new compliance burdens.
The Coalition’s plan would also place more onus on federal and state coordination. By linking funding to safety outcomes, it hopes to encourage better standards across the sector. The Opposition points to the aged care system, where facilities are held financially accountable for care failures, as a model worth adapting.
Though Parliament is not currently sitting, the Opposition says it is ready to introduce the legislation when it returns. Battin says the issue demands bipartisan cooperation.
“This is too important to play politics. We want to work with the Parliament to get these protections in place quickly,” he said.
The announcement comes amid broader debate over the safety and accessibility of early childhood education in Victoria. While demand for childcare continues to grow, so too have concerns about understaffing, patchy oversight and inconsistent quality across providers. The proposed reforms aim to address these concerns with a blend of tougher safeguards and public transparency.
As the policy debate unfolds, the question now is whether the Allan Government will support or resist these moves. For now, the Opposition is betting that public sentiment will favour action over further delay.
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