CEO Report

• Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) Interagency Committee
• Department of Education, Children and Young People and Education and Care Unit – ECEC Stakeholders Reference Group
• Department of Education, Children and Young People – Community Services and Health Industry Advisory Group
• Department of Education, Children and Young People – Universal Access for 3-year-old Co-Design Working Group
• Department of Education, Children and Young People – B4 Leaders Coalition Member
• Department of Education, Children and Young People – Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) Reference Committee
• Workforce Coalition Member for Tasmanian Community Services Industry Plan
• Department of Health – Move Well Eat Well Program
• Member of the Cancer Council Tasmania SunSmart Early Childhood Program
• Reconciliation Tasmania – Circle Group Members

In my advocacy role as CEO, I developed stronger connections with key stakeholders, government ministers and the Tasmanian Commissioner for Children and Young People, Leanne McLean, through representation on advisory boards and face-to-face meetings. My representation on many advisory boards ensured that the issues facing LGT, and our sector remained the firm focus of discussions and kept these issues on the agenda for future policy decisions affecting our sector.

LGT’s advocacy work in 2022-23 has included:

• Continued partnership with the Department of Education initiative ‘Working Together’ (WT) with the Alanvale Education and Care Service facilitating 8 places at the service for 3-year-old children who had not accessed any form of early learning. This year we had the honour of Minister Roger Jaensch MP, Minister for Education, Children and Youth visiting Alanvale to meet educators and the children. It provided the opportunity to reinforce the message that LGT is ready to work with the government on implementing future preschool programs and other early childhood priorities;

• Appointment to the Governance Group of the Industry Advisory Council. This initiative is a joint initiative of TasCOSS and the State Government to address workforce shortages in the community services industry in Tasmania across four domains: Early Childhood, Social Services, Disability Services and Aged Care. This is the first time Early Childhood has been included in this plan which is a significant step forward;

• Attendance at a roundtable by Minister Anne Aly in Melbourne in August 2022 to discuss the issues related to workforce attraction, wages, recruitment, and retention in our sector. Minister Aly has held 6 roundtables with the sector regarding the issues we currently face with a special focus on workforce shortages, and wages and conditions;

• Representation in the Workforce Strategy Project and contracted by ECA to employ the Early Years and School Age Care Workforce Strategy Project Manager, Kellie Watson, for the next three years. This is a significant opportunity for LGT to continue to advocate and influence both the early childhood workforce, including skills initiatives, and influencing the agenda around workforce;

• Attendance at the first face-to-face meeting of the Minister’s Early Childhood Education and Care Reference Group to discuss increases to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from July 2023, the increase in funding in NSW and Victoria for universal pre-school and new policy initiatives in other states, the activity test requirements for CCS, the new child care access website Starting Blocks, research on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Care Services and skilled migration issues;

• Commitment to Gowrie Australia (GA) fortnightly meetings in order to keep abreast of the many reforms and inquiries into our sector. We met face-to-face in Melbourne in May 2023 which included a strategic advocacy and planning day with an external consultant. Joint projects were discussed including rebranding GA, the management exchange and joint PD between Queensland and Tasmania, and subject-specific networks to share information. The first being People and Culture and consideration of an ‘internal transfer’ project for Gowrie staff moving states, as well as looking at a collective national recruitment campaign;

• Participation in the co-design and consultative processes for the Tasmanian Universal Early Learning for 3-year-olds. A Co-Design Steering Committee was appointed and is Co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary of DECYP (Jenny Burgess) and LGT’s previous CEO Ros Cornish. Ros has been employed by DECYP at the request of the Minister to co-chair and assist as an independent sector consultant. Annette Barwick from LGT also attends as the ECA representative. I have been engaging with the Department directly and LGT participated in the consultation process;

• Attendance at an Early Years Consultation with Minister Anne Aly MP in Sorell;

• Appointed as a B4 Leader by the Minister Roger Jaensch MP, Minister for Education, Children and Youth; and

• Participated in consultations and submissions to the Productivity Commission and ACCC Inquiries into education and care sector.

LGT has also continued our strong advocacy by having a regular presence in the media, through my opinion pieces in The Mercury to television and radio interviews in which we have continued to advocate for the best interests of our children, families, workforce and the education and care sector. It is an honour and a privilege for me to represent LGT and at times, that of the sector, at both state and national levels. Participation in these discussions is vital to ensure future government policy developments benefit LGT’s children, families, clients, learners, our people, and the broader Tasmanian community.

Other LGT and Gowrie Training & Consultancy funded projects for 2022-23 can be found here.  

LGT’s contributions to Gowrie Australia’s national publication, Reflections, can be found here.