I was proud to join hundreds of community preschool educators at a powerful protest rally in Sydney today.

The educators, including delegations from the Kapooka, The Rock, Uranquinty and Forest Hill community preschools, are justifiably calling for pay parity with other educators in school settings.

Community preschool educators, who are mostly women providing children with essential early childhood education, have the same qualifications as their counterparts but earn up to 30 per cent less.

That’s clearly unfair and must be rectified.

This underpayment of dedicated professionals is adding to a workforce crisis that is putting community preschool education at risk and it’s time for the government to step up and fund the future of community preschools and families across the state.