Refusal to release underlying information about service fee increases by up to 1,000%

Members will recall the shock from the news in late February 2026 that the new NSW Early Learning Commission would be increasing service fees by up to 1,000% seemingly without any advance warning nor rationale.

Under freedom of information, ACA NSW sought the release of NSW Government documents that would help explain these then proposed increases.

More importantly, ACA NSW wanted to understand how such fee increases would produce the consequential benefits to all of NSW’s early childhood education and care services and to these services’ children under their care.

It is important to note that there were six requests (as listed) from the NSW Department of Education to extend the deadline to respond:

• 3 March 2026

• 20 April 2026

• 25 May 2026

• 24 June 2026

• 3 July 2026

• 30 July 2026

Yet, after waiting six months for their response, the NSW Department of Education instead released what is effectively a "the information is confidential and thus cannot be shared" type of response.

It is also important to note that the new fees have already been published. And these fees (and fee increases) are also for small/medium/large/extra-large services as well as application fees for reassessment and rating.

At a time when early childhood education and care services are trying their hardest to ensure fee affordability, especially due to the Worker Retention Payments' fee growth limit requirements, these NSW Government's significant fee increases (and its potential funding changes) risk services' operational viabilities as well as fee increases for parents.

ACA NSW will not stop to seek clarity and transparency of the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Early Learning Commission. 

For any further information/clarification, members can contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au. 

PUBLISHED: 23 AUGUST 2026