The short answer
Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) (Extending Support and Strengthening Safety) Bill 2026
The Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) (Extending Support and Strengthening Safety) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026. It would amend the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) Act 2024 to extend the Act's sunset date from 30 June 2028 to 31 December 2029 and to credit the Special Account with additional funding. The bill delivers on the Government's 17 June 2026 announcement of $3.6 billion over two years to lock in the pay rise for early childhood educators, and adds $226 million in Commonwealth child safety reforms, with the states and territories committing more than $270 million — around half a billion dollars in total for strengthening the quality and safety of early childhood education and care. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 10 September 2026 after second and third reading debates, and the Senate introduced it and read it a first time on 14 September 2026, when the second reading was moved, debated and agreed to, and the Senate moved into committee of the whole. The bill is before the Senate and has not been enacted.
This is a federal system guide. State constitutions, parliaments and local-government laws can allocate comparable functions differently.
The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.
Evidence review
What the bill would do
The bill would amend the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) Act 2024, which established a special account to fund the ECEC Worker Retention Payment Program delivering a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators over two years.
The bill would credit the Special Account with additional funding and extend the Act's sunset date from 30 June 2028 to 31 December 2029. The Minister for Education's second reading speech states the bill delivers on the commitment announced by the Prime Minister on 17 June 2026 to invest $3.6 billion over two years to lock in the pay rise.
The bill also supports the Government's investment of an extra $226 million in child safety reforms, with the states and territories committing more than $270 million — around half a billion dollars that governments are investing in strengthening the quality and safety of early childhood education and care.
Evidence review
Why the bill was introduced
The original Wage Justice Act 2024 established the special account to fund the worker retention payment program. This bill extends and supplements that framework so the funding continues and additional child safety measures can be delivered.
The Minister's second reading speech notes that when the Government was first elected, child care workers were leaving the job in large numbers, and that in some centres the attrition rate was 40 per cent.
The 2026 bill is titled '(Extending Support and Strengthening Safety)' to reflect the two elements: extending the special account arrangements, and strengthening the safety and quality of the sector.
The original Wage Justice Act 2024 was developed after the Government joined negotiations with unions and sector representatives as part of the ECEC supported bargaining process. The worker retention payment program is delivered through the Special Account, which the 2026 bill would credit with additional funding so the program can continue beyond the current arrangements.
Evidence review
Who the bill would affect
The bill would primarily affect early childhood education and care workers eligible for the worker retention payment, by continuing the funding mechanism that supports their wage increases.
It would also affect early childhood education and care services, which participate in the program and are subject to its conditions, and families who use the services.
The child safety funding component would support reforms to strengthen the quality and safety of early childhood education and care, delivered jointly by the Commonwealth and the states and territories.
The Minister's second reading speech said early childhood education and care workers do one of the most important jobs in the country, that the Government was investing an extra $226 million in child safety reforms, and that the states and territories had committed more than $270 million as well, around half a billion dollars in total for strengthening the quality and safety of the sector.
Evidence review
Parliamentary scrutiny
On 13 August 2026, the bill was referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report, with the report due by 4 September 2026. The bill page records that the committee reported on 4 September 2026.
The bill page records a Bills Digest as published for this bill, providing the Parliamentary Library's analysis.
Two second reading amendments were circulated in the Senate after the bill was introduced there: one from the Australian Greens (Senator Steph Hodgins-May, sheet 4123) and one from the Opposition (Senator Matt O'Sullivan, sheet 4907), together with an Opposition committee-of-the-whole amendment (Senator O'Sullivan, sheet 4098).
Evidence review
Parliamentary status
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and read a first time on 12 August 2026, with the second reading moved the same day. The bill page records second reading debates in the House on 20 August 2026 and on 7, 8, 9 and 10 September 2026, with the second reading agreed to on 10 September 2026 and the third reading agreed to the same day.
That means the bill passed the House of Representatives on 10 September 2026. It then moved to the Senate, where it was introduced and read a first time on 14 September 2026, the second reading was moved and debated the same day, the second reading was agreed to, and the Senate proceeded into committee of the whole to consider the bill.
The bill's current recorded status is Before Senate. To become law, it would still need to complete its passage through the Senate, return to the House if the Senate amends it, and receive Royal Assent. It has not been enacted and no commencement has occurred.
Evidence review
Chamber record cross-check — House 10 September and Senate 14 September 2026
Two official records were cross-checked for this update: the ParlWork bill details page for the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) (Extending Support and Strengthening Safety) Bill 2026, recording that the page was last updated on 14 September 2026 (record identifier eb4dc3f51e465ce7, checked 14 September 2026), and the APH bill page for the same bill, which records the progress of the bill through both chambers.
The progress of the bill recorded on the ParlWork page shows: introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026; second reading moved the same day; second reading debate on 20 August 2026 and on 7, 8, 9 and 10 September 2026; second reading agreed to on 10 September 2026; third reading agreed to on 10 September 2026; introduced and read a first time in the Senate on 14 September 2026; second reading moved on 14 September 2026; second reading debate on 14 September 2026; second reading agreed to on 14 September 2026; and committee of the whole debate on 14 September 2026.
The same page records the bill's status as Before Senate, its type as Government, its portfolio as Education and its originating house as the House of Representatives, in the 48th Parliament. The bill page records the Senate committee referral of 13 August 2026 and the committee report of 4 September 2026.
Progress entries of this kind are the formal chamber record of each step, not a final statement that the bill has become law. The bill has passed the House but has not completed its passage through the Senate, has not received Royal Assent and has not commenced.
Common questions
Before you rely on the answer
What is the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers Special Account?
The Special Account was established by the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) Act 2024 to fund the ECEC Worker Retention Payment Program, which delivers a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators over two years.
What does the 2026 bill change?
The bill would credit the Special Account with additional funding and extend the Act's sunset date from 30 June 2028 to 31 December 2029, and supports the Government's $226 million investment in child safety reforms for the sector.
Has the bill become law?
No. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 10 September 2026 and the Senate introduced it and agreed to the second reading on 14 September 2026, moving into committee of the whole. It is before the Senate and has not been enacted, and has not received Royal Assent.
How does the Special Account relate to the 15 per cent pay rise?
The Special Account funds the ECEC Worker Retention Payment Program, which delivers a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators over two years. This bill would credit the Special Account with additional funding and extend the program's sunset date to 31 December 2029.
What happened to the bill in September 2026?
The House of Representatives agreed to the second reading and the third reading on 10 September 2026, so the bill passed the House. The Senate then introduced the bill and read it a first time on 14 September 2026, moved and debated the second reading the same day, agreed to the second reading, and moved into committee of the whole to consider the bill.
Source spine
Primary material used for this guide
- Parliament of Australia — Bill page — checked 2026-09-14
- Parliament of Australia — ParlWork bill details (r7529) — official record — checked 2026-09-14
- Minister for Education — Second reading speech — checked 2026-09-14
- Prime Minister — Pay rise for early educators while keeping fees down for families — checked 2026-09-14
- Parliament of Australia — Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Wage Justice inquiry — official record — checked 2026-09-14
Review trigger: Review when the Senate completes its passage of the bill or amends it, when any Senate amendment returns to the House, upon Royal Assent, when the bill commences, or when any royal assent or commencement date for the Act is published. Material change (senate_dynamic_outcome): the bill passed the House of Representatives on 10 September 2026 and completed second reading and entered committee of the whole in the Senate on 14 September 2026; verified against the ParlWork bill details page (last updated 14 September 2026) and the APH bill page.
Archive note: This article reviews a proposed bill as introduced on 12 August 2026 and was updated on 14 September 2026 against the ParlWork bill details page (last updated 14 September 2026) and the APH bill page. The bill is a government bill that has passed the House of Representatives and is before the Senate; it has not been enacted and has not received Royal Assent. Funding figures are drawn from the Minister for Education's second reading speech and the Prime Minister's announcement; readers should check the Parliament of Australia website and the Federal Register of Legislation for the current status.
Primary links are provided without affiliate or tracking parameters. Confirm that the source still applies to the bill, sitting date, jurisdiction or reporting period before relying on it.