Labor asks Deloitte to design universal childcare system as PM eyes political legacy

Exclusive: Government could redirect billions in existing spending on the childcare subsidy and introduce a daily flat fee for families

Labor has commissioned consulting giant Deloitte to help design a universal childcare system in Australia, launching a two-year study of demand and costs, as Anthony Albanese chases a political legacy to rival Medicare.

The government could redirect billions in existing spending on the childcare subsidy and introduce a daily flat fee for families. It will spend $10.4m on the research, with Deloitte required to assess service demands and collect data across the early childhood education system, with a report due before the next federal election.