Six new childcare centres will be built across regional Tasmania after the federal and state governments committed more than $30 million to tackle ‘childcare deserts’ in underserved communities.
The federal government will contribute $25.5 million through its Building Early Education Fund, while the state government will add $5 million and provide land for several sites.
New centres will soon open at Huonville, Bruny Island, Bothwell, St Mary’s, Westbury and Latrobe, with construction set to begin in 2027.
Federal Labor MP Rebecca White said the investment would help hundreds of families who have struggled to find childcare places.
“This is not only investment in the lives of these little people, it’s also about increasing the productivity of our economy,” she said.
“It allows parents to go back to work and training and we know that’s been a real challenge for lots of parents who’ve struggled to find a place in childcare.”
White said communities had been calling for services for years, particularly in areas like Bothwell, where no childcare currently exists.
“For so many they’ve either been on a waiting list or they’ve had to travel a really long distance to access childcare, which has made it really hard for them to go back to training, to get a job or to keep their job,” she said.
“But more significantly it’s really hindered their children’s ability to be prepared for school.”
Several centres will be co-located on school grounds, making pick-up and drop-off easier for families.
The announcement follows a separate joint funding package for Latrobe, where the federal and state governments contributed $534,000 to establish a temporary childcare centre after a local provider closed unexpectedly.
Lady Gowrie Tasmania will open that interim service on February 16, with capacity for 55 children, while a purpose-built centre is constructed later this year.
Education Minister Jo Palmer said the Latrobe situation showed the importance of governments working together.
“It was really devastating and quite scary for families in the Latrobe area when a local provider had to make a decision that they were going to close their doors,” she said.
Goodstart Early Learning centre director Brenna Gould said demand for places continued to far exceed supply.
“Our wait lists are huge,” she said. “Even our internal families who are requesting additional days, we often have to put them on our wait list.”
The federal government has also funded a 15% pay rise for early childhood educators, along with state government scholarships, to help address workforce shortages in the sector.
Not-for-profit providers will be invited to tender for the new centres, with some expected to open by late 2028.
