Who is the early childhood minister? Federal and every state
Current early childhood ministers for Australia and every state and territory, with office addresses and shadow ministers. Write to any of them online.
Australia has nine parliaments: the federal parliament and one for each state and territory. Each government decides its own ministry, so the early childhood portfolio has a different name, and sometimes a different minister, in each one. 4 of the nine currently have a minister whose title covers early childhood. This page lists them, their shadows, and the other ministers who share the work, with addresses from each parliament's official records.
Early Childhood and Childcare ministers at a glance
| Parliament | Name | Portfolio | Office mailing address | Write |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Jess WalshALP · Senator for Victoria | Minister for Early Childhood EducationAlso: Minister for Youth | PO Box 6100, Senate, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600Parliament House | Write |
| New South Wales | Prue CarALP · Member for Londonderry | Minister for Education and Early LearningAlso: Minister for Western Sydney; Deputy Premier | PO Box 43, St Marys NSW 1790Electorate office | Write |
| Western Australia | Sabine WintonALP · Member for Wanneroo | Minister for Early ChildhoodAlso: Minister for Education; Minister for Wheatbelt | PO Box 345, Wanneroo WA 6946Electorate office | Write |
| Northern Territory | Jo HerseyCLP · Member for Katherine | Minister for Early EducationAlso: Minister for Education and Training; Minister for Public Service | PO Box 3, Katherine NT 0851Electorate office | Write |
No minister in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Australian Capital Territory has early childhood in their title right now. There, the work usually sits with another minister (see "Also relevant" below), or it isn't a responsibility of that level of government.
Federal addresses are for Parliament House, where portfolio mail should go. State and territory addresses are the minister's electorate office, which passes portfolio mail on.
Names, roles and addresses on this page come from each parliament's official member lists. Data checked 20 October 2026.
Federal or state: who's responsible for early childhood?
The federal government funds childcare through the Child Care Subsidy and sets national quality standards. States and territories regulate childcare services day to day and run or fund preschool and kindergarten programs.
If you're not sure which level handles your issue, write to your own local member as well. Their office can pass your letter to the right minister.
Early Childhood and Childcare ministers by parliament
Federal early childhood minister
The Minister for Early Childhood Education in the federal government is Jess Walsh (ALP, Senator for Victoria), who is also Minister for Youth. Write to them at PO Box 6100, Senate, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600.
In opposition, Matt O'Sullivan (LIB) is Shadow Minister for Choice in Childcare and Early Learning.
New South Wales early childhood minister
The Minister for Education and Early Learning in New South Wales is Prue Car (ALP, Member for Londonderry), who is also Minister for Western Sydney and Deputy Premier. Write to them at PO Box 43, St Marys NSW 1790.
In opposition, Felicity Wilson (LIB) is Shadow Minister for Early Education.
Western Australia early childhood minister
The Minister for Early Childhood in Western Australia is Sabine Winton (ALP, Member for Wanneroo), who is also Minister for Education and Minister for Wheatbelt. Write to them at PO Box 345, Wanneroo WA 6946.
In opposition, Liam Staltari (LIB) is Shadow Minister for Early Childhood.
Northern Territory early childhood minister
The Minister for Early Education in the Northern Territory is Jo Hersey (CLP, Member for Katherine), who is also Minister for Education and Training and Minister for Public Service. Write to them at PO Box 3, Katherine NT 0851.
In opposition, Chanston Paech (ALP) is Shadow Minister for Early Education.
Shadow early childhood ministers and spokespeople
A shadow minister leads the opposition's policy on early childhood and questions the government in parliament. Write to them when you want an issue raised publicly, or want to know what the alternative government would do. Crossbench spokespeople, such as the Greens in some parliaments, are listed too.
| Parliament | Name | Portfolio | Write |
|---|---|---|---|
| FederalOpposition | Matt O'SullivanLIB · Senator for Western Australia | Shadow Minister for Choice in Childcare and Early LearningAlso: Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence | Write |
| New South WalesOpposition | Felicity WilsonLIB · Member for North Shore | Shadow Minister for Early EducationAlso: Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs; Shadow Minister for Women | Write |
| QueenslandOpposition | Di FarmerALP · Member for Bulimba | Shadow Minister for Education and the Early YearsAlso: Shadow Minister for Youth Justice | Write |
| Western AustraliaOpposition | Liam StaltariLIB · Member for Carine | Shadow Minister for Early ChildhoodAlso: Shadow Minister for Education; Shadow Minister for Disability Services | Write |
| TasmaniaOpposition | Josh WillieALP · Member for Clark | Shadow Minister for Education & Early YearsAlso: Leader of the Opposition; Shadow Minister for Economic Development | Write |
| Northern TerritoryOpposition | Chanston PaechALP · Member for Gwoja | Shadow Minister for Early EducationAlso: Shadow Minister for Health; Shadow Minister for Mental Health; Shadow Minister for Disability; Shadow Minister for Children and Families; Shadow Minister for Child Protection; Shadow Minister for Seniors and Aged Care; Shadow Minister for Carers; Shadow Minister for Education and Training; Shadow Minister for Youth; Shadow Minister for International Education, Migration and Population; Shadow Minister for Workforce Development; Shadow Minister for Tourism and Hospitality; Shadow Minister for Major Events and Festivals; Shadow Minister for the Arts and Creative Economy | Write |
| VictoriaCrossbench | Anasina Gray-BarberioGRN · Member for Northern Metropolitan Region | Spokesperson for Early Childhood Education and KinderAlso: Spokesperson for Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism; Spokesperson for Women, Gender Equality and Family Violence; Spokesperson for Child Protection; Spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services; Spokesperson for Community Services; Spokesperson for Ageing; Spokesperson for Sport | Write |
See every opposition frontbench on the list of shadow ministers.
Also relevant
Assistant ministers, parliamentary secretaries and ministers for closely related areas. If your issue is about one of these areas, they may be the better person to write to, or you can copy them in.
| Parliament | Name | Portfolio | Write |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South WalesGovernment | Greg WarrenALP · Member for Campbelltown | Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Early Learning | Write |
| QueenslandGovernment | Bree JamesLNP · Member for Barron River | Assistant Minister for Tourism, Early Learning, Creative Industries and Far North Queensland | Write |
| Australian Capital TerritoryGovernment | Rachel Stephen-SmithALP · Member for Kurrajong | Minister for Child Development and Wellbeing | Write |
How to address a letter to a minister
Address the envelope to the minister by name and title, then their office address. Inside, open with Dear Minister. Only write "The Hon" if the minister holds that title; some state ministers do not. The address blocks on each politician page already use the right form. For more detail, see how to address a letter to an MP.
Senator the Hon Jess Walsh
PO Box 6100
Senate, Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Senator Walsh,
- Keep to one issue, and say exactly which program, service or decision you mean.
- Say what you want the minister to do, in one sentence.
- Include your full postal address so the office can reply.
- A short personal story carries more weight than statistics the department already has.
Write to a early childhood minister now
Pick a minister from the table above and press Write. Better Letters prints your signed letter and posts it for you, or you can download the PDF free and post it yourself. A printed, signed letter is harder to set aside than an email.
Write to a early childhood minister
$3.95 a letter, printed on 100% recycled paper, signed with your signature and posted via Australia Post. Or download the PDF free and post it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the federal early childhood minister?+
Senator the Hon Jess Walsh (ALP) is the Minister for Early Childhood Education in the federal government, and also Minister for Youth.
Who is the early childhood minister in New South Wales?+
The Hon Prue Car MP (ALP) is the Minister for Education and Early Learning in New South Wales, and also Minister for Western Sydney and Deputy Premier.
Who is the early childhood minister in Western Australia?+
The Hon Sabine Winton MLA (ALP) is the Minister for Early Childhood in Western Australia, and also Minister for Education and Minister for Wheatbelt.
Who is the early childhood minister in the Northern Territory?+
The Hon Jo Hersey MLA (CLP) is the Minister for Early Education in the Northern Territory, and also Minister for Education and Training and Minister for Public Service.
Who is the shadow early childhood minister?+
Federally, Senator Matt O'Sullivan (LIB) is the Shadow Minister for Choice in Childcare and Early Learning. Oppositions in 6 of Australia's nine parliaments have a shadow minister covering early childhood, all listed on this page.
Should I write to the federal or state early childhood minister?+
The federal government funds childcare through the Child Care Subsidy and sets national quality standards. States and territories regulate childcare services day to day and run or fund preschool and kindergarten programs.
How do I contact the early childhood minister?+
Write a letter. Address the envelope to the minister by name and title, followed by their office address, and open with "Dear Minister". Federal ministers can be written to at Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600. State and territory ministers can be written to at their electorate office, which passes portfolio mail on to their ministerial office.