Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard to head up Royal Commission into early childhood education and care

Julia Gillard will investigate how quality preschool programs for three-year-olds can be delivered in SA, as she heads up the Royal Commission into early childhood education.

Former prime minister Julia Gillard says ensuring the best start in life for all South Australian children will be her focus as head of the state’s Royal Commission into early childhood education and care.

Ms Gillard, who also served as federal education minister, has been charged with shaping the delivery of the state government's commitment to universal three-year-old preschool beginning in 2026.

In an exclusive interview with The Advertiser, Ms Gillard said her new role was an opportunity to institute meaningful reform for young children.

“I’m so passionate about education and about early childhood education because we now understand so much about how it makes a difference for the rest of a child’s life,” she said.

“These reforms, they’re good for every child, but for disadvantaged children, the degree of jump that the reform gives them access to is an even bigger jump.

“I think that’s important because we want every child to thrive, and we don’t want any child left behind simply because of the circumstances of their family.”

The Royal Commission, formally approved by Governor Frances Adamson on Sunday, will also look at how families are supported in the first years of a child’s life and how out-of-school-hours care is delivered for children of preschool and primary school age.

Peter Malinauskas and Julia Gillard for the announcement that she will be head of the state’s Royal Commission into early childhood education and care. Picture: Matt Loxton

Online submissions are now open, before public hearings begin late January and roundtables and forums are held in February.

An interim report will be published in April before Ms Gillard’s final recommendations are delivered in August next year.

The Royal Commission will cost $2.45m but the government has not yet budgeted implementation of the policy, which will be be investigated by Ms Gillard and depend on the model of delivery.

Ms Gillard said the investment would help both children and their parents, particularly mothers.

“We intuitively know that options for early childhood and care can support a woman’s return to work or a return on a greater number of hours,” she said.

Announcing her appointment, Premier Peter Malinauskas praised Ms Gillard as “a truly historic reformer when it comes to the area of education”.

Premier Peter Malinauskas announced the appointment of Ms Gillard on Sunday. Picture: Matt Loxton

“All of the biggest reforms that have happened to education in Australia in the last 20 years were under Julia’s stewardship – Gonski, NAPLAN, teaching reforms, curriculum reforms,” he said.

“Here we’ve got someone who understands the importance of knowing the theory but also the pragmatic reality of having to deliver it.”

On the issue of funding, Mr Malinauskas said “quality is heart of the Commission’s mandate but at the same time there is a pragmatic reality about how we’re going to pay for it”.

“You’ve got the Commonwealth government responsible for childcare and you’ve got the state government responsible for preschool,” he said.

“Naturally, from the state government’s perspective, we want to see as great a contribution from the Commonwealth as possible, but at the same time we don’t want that to be at the expense of the quality of the outcome for children.”