Decision details

Moved by Councillor Thompson, seconded by Councillor Ellsmore –

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note:

(i)           the Federal Government has introduced a grant program enabling employers of Early Childhood Education Workers, who are among the lowest-paid essential workers in our community, to deliver a 15% pay increase over 2 years, for which the City of Sydney is eligible but has not yet applied. The deadline for this grant is 30 September 2025;

(ii)         on 23 June 2025, Council requested the Chief Executive Officer urgently investigate applying for the Federal funding to increase the pay of City of Sydney early childhood educators by 15% over the next two years, and report back to Council on any financial and operational implications of doing so; and

(iii)        the Lord Mayor wrote to the Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education on 5 August 2025, in accordance with the resolution of Council, calling on the Federal Government to commit to permanent, government-funded wage increases and improved working conditions for early childhood educators, in line with sector-wide calls for targeted initiatives to attract and retain staff without increasing costs for families; and

(B)        the Chief Executive Officer be requested to provide Council with an update on the progress of (ii) above.

Carried unanimously.

X113760