On 28 October, the Treasurer directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into the market for the supply of childcare services.

The inquiry is to begin by 1 January 2023 and provide:

  • a first interim report by no later than 30 June 2023
  • a second interim report by no later than 30 September 2023
  • a final report by 31 December 2023.

Scope of inquiry

The inquiry will examine and consider matters including:

  • costs and availability of labour
  • the use of land and related costs
  • finance and administrative costs
  • regulatory compliance costs
  • the costs of consumables
  • the prices charged since 2018 and how these have changed following changes in childcare policy settings.

The ACCC will examine how costs and prices differ by:

  • type of provider and size
  • type of childcare service
  • age and characteristics of the child in care
  • geographic location
  • level of competition
  • the quality rating of the childcare services provided.

How these factors impact childcare provider viability, quality and profits will also be examined.

Providing information to the inquiry

The ACCC will carry out a wide range of consultation and information gathering activities as part of the childcare inquiry. An indicative schedule is provided in the table.

We'll identify childcare providers in metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia to participate in formal information gathering processes

We’ll also be running roundtables with a broad range of stakeholders, including:

  • families and those who care for children
  • childcare educators and workforce participants
  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples,
  • people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities
  • people with children who have a disability or complex need.

We'll use different ways to gather information from stakeholders. This includes a survey that will be open to all who care for children.

Childcare Inquiry activities by month.
Month Activity

January 2023

ACCC will contact large childcare providers and consult on the ACCC’s proposed compulsory information requests.
February 2023

ACCC will issue compulsory information requests to large childcare providers.

ACCC will engage with selected medium and small childcare providers and issue voluntary information requests.

March 2023 ACCC staff will visit selected childcare providers.
April 2023

Responses due for the compulsory information requests issued to large childcare providers.

ACCC staff will visit selected childcare providers.

Web survey opens to everyone with childcaring responsibilities.

May 2023

ACCC staff will visit selected childcare providers.

June 2023

First interim report provided to the Treasurer by 30 June 2023.

July 2023

ACCC will issue additional information requests to selected providers seeking price and costs information after 1 July 2023.

August 2023

Responses to additional information requests due.

ACCC will host roundtable discussions with invited stakeholders.

September 2023

Second interim report will be provided to the Treasurer by 30 September 2023, identifying potential draft recommendations and/or draft findings and seek submissions in response.

ACCC will host roundtable discussions with invited stakeholders.

October 2023 Public submissions on the consultation paper identifying potential draft recommendations and/or draft findings close.
November 2023 Further stakeholder meetings if required to clarify submissions.
December 2023 Final Report provided to the Treasurer by 31 December 2023.