GREENS Senator Steph Hodgins-May visited Inverloch on Saturday to hear from communities concerned about the lack of early childhood education and care in the region.

New research published this week by Victoria University Mitchell Institute found 700,000 Australians live in childcare deserts.

“It’s shocking that in a wealthy country like Australia, one in four people have no access to early childhood education and care because of their postcode,” said Ms Hodgins-May.

“In South Gippsland, like in so many communities across Victoria, children are slipping through the cracks.”

With the exception of a few regional hubs, much of South Gippsland has a lack of childcare, where there are more than three children per childcare place, according to the report. 

In South Gippsland’s Stony Creek, 8.3 children compete for each childcare place and in Fish Creek up to 50 children compete for each childcare place. 

“I’m hearing from parents whose kids are on multiple waiting lists, who are missing out on an early education because they can’t secure childcare. As a result, parents are missing out on critical paid work in the middle of a cost of living crisis,” said Ms Hodgins-May.

“Access to childcare shouldn’t be subject to a postcode lottery.”

Bass Coast Shire Council Green Candidate, Mat Morgan was meeting with community members alongside Ms Hodgins-May on Saturday. 

“Early childhood education is one of the most common things that’s being brought up, even at a local council level. It obviously crosses the community and all levels of government, but one of the most pressing things that’s coming up is the lack of affordable housing, particularly as our feminist industries are so underpaid across the board,” said Mr Morgan. 

“I’m speaking with early childhood educators, I’m speaking with parents who are either renting and can’t afford their rents, they’re one rate rise away from being on the streets. There’s people that are leaving Bass Coast altogether because there’s no affordable housing, there’s no childcare.” 

Senator Hodgins-May commented that childcare shortages are being compounded by a workforce leaving in droves.

“This is a workforce that is overwhelmingly comprised of women, who continue to take home less than two-thirds of the average weekly adult wage.”

“Even with the Government’s announced pay rise, early childhood educators are underpaid and simply can’t afford to stay.”

“Our early childhood educators perform the critical role of educating and caring for our kids in those crucial early years and they deserve the 25 per cent pay rise that they have consistently called for.”

Senator Hodgins-May says Australia’s broken childcare system is in urgent need of repair.  

“The Greens have consistently said that early learning is a fundamental right. Childcare should be treated like primary and secondary school – free, universal and high quality.”

“We will continue to support families across Victoria who are urging the Government to properly fund and regulate the childcare sector, to make childcare free and universal, and to pay our educators what they deserve.”