Community preschools are worried about a change in funding that will leave them significantly worse off, and the Nationals say they will scrap its replacement if they win the 2027 election. North Coast candidates in Lismore and Ballina, and the Member for Oxley, are already making the pledge.
The current Start Strong funding program ends on 31 December. It will be replaced by the Universal Preschool Funding Program.
“A NSW Liberals and Nationals Government will reverse Labor’s cuts to the Start Strong funding arrangements for both community preschools and long day care services,” said NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane.
“Stakeholders have said cutting the program is bad policy and will impact the quality and viability of preschool education for 170,000 children across NSW.”
NSW Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh said regional families would feel the impact hardest.
“When Labor forces preschools to close in regional NSW, there are no alternative services,” Mr Singh said.
“Kids miss out, parents can’t get to work, and a vital community hub is lost forever.”
The NSW Department of Education says the new model is fairer.
“The Universal Preschool program ensures fairer, more consistent and sustainable funding, so families across NSW, including in regional areas, can access high quality, affordable early learning,” said a spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education.
“Importantly, both 3- and 4-year-old children are fully funded for the first time and the new guidelines cap preschool program fees at their current rate or a maximum of $20 per day.”
“The new guidelines also mandate above-award wages for the first time.”
The Department says total funding for community preschools will be between $584 million and $642 million in 2027, up from an allocation of $540 million to $625 million this year. Initial annual funding allocations, including transition funding, will be available in late November. Services may also be eligible for a funding review if their circumstances change in 2027.
Member for Oxley Michael Kemp pointed to Eungai Preschool as an example of what is at stake.
The community-owned preschool, in a village of around 600 people, has forecast an annual cut of $242,786 in operational funding, with a further $100,000 estimated reduction in inclusion support. It estimates it could be forced to go from six staff to three, and took part in protests earlier this week about the changes.
“You cannot expect a small regional preschool to operate under the same funding assumptions as a large metropolitan service,” Mr Kemp said.
“You cannot tell a village of 600 people to simply increase its enrolments when there are only so many young children in the district.”
“We have childcare deserts right across the Macleay and Nambucca valleys, and we cannot afford to make that situation worse.”
In Ballina, Nationals candidate Michelle Bailey hosted a roundtable with childcare providers from across the electorate on Tuesday, 10 November.
“Local providers have raised serious concerns about the financial pressure these changes will place on their centres and their ability to continue delivering quality early childhood education,” said Mrs Bailey.
“Preschools and long day care centres play a crucial role in our community. We should be supporting the providers and educators who deliver that vital early learning, not cutting the funding they rely on.”
In Lismore, Nationals candidate Dylan Butcher joined local preschool directors at a recent rally outside Lismore MP Janelle Saffin’s office.
“In a lot of our small towns, the community preschool is the only option families have,” said Mr Butcher. “These are not-for-profits, often run with the help of parent volunteers. They can’t just absorb cuts like this.”
“When you cut their funding, something has to give. It’s fewer places, fewer teachers or higher fees, and it’s local families who pay the price.”
The Liberals and Nationals plan to reinstate Start Strong and fund preschool program payments for approved long day care preschool programs. They also promise to negotiate in good faith with community preschool educators on a fair wage increase.
“Our early childhood educators deserve a fair pay rise, and we’ll sit down with them in good faith to deliver it,” Mr Butcher said.
“The first five years of a child’s life matter just as much in the regions, as they do in the city. We’ll reverse these cuts and give our preschools the certainty they need.
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