21 October 2026
Latest News
Firstly, thank you to our partners and sponsors:
... for supporting Monday night's ACA NSW Inner Circle evening held at The Epping Club.
And thank you to our panellists, in particular:
Tristan Reed, First Assistant Secretary, Federal Department of Education
Kate Thomson, Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
Monday's Inner Circle was yet another successful and robust discussion on:
the future of the Worker Retention Payments;
the termination of the Start Strong program funding;
banning “under the roof” and ratio changes;
the National Early Childhood Worker Registry;
the proposed Early Education & Care Commission;
the NSW Early Learning Commission;
the Disability Standards for Education (in effect from 1 Aug 2026);
the regulatory and operational workload;
children's outcomes vs quality ratings;
what could Universal Childcare look like;
the Federal Labor Government's $500m+$500m proposal to expand existing services (vs the use of taxpayer funds of up to $192,325 to create each new place at public schools);
... and more.
ACA NSW members can download all the slides of that evening.
Despite invitations to the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Early Learning Commission, the former declined to attend, and the latter has formally refused to attend. ACECQA was also invited to attend especially to provide an update on the National Early Childhood Worker Register, but was advised they were not available.
Unfortunately, the National Children's Commissioner (Deb Tsobaris) and the National Disabilities Discrimination Commissioner (Rosemary Kayess) were not available either. However, both they have expressed an interest to attend at the next Inner Circle evening in 2027.
For any further information/clarification, please contact ACA NSW via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.
PUBLISHED: 21 OCTOBER 2026
