Give Kids a Voice in Canberra: It’s Time for a Federal Minister for Children
The issue
Almost one in five Australians is under the age of 18, yet there is no dedicated Minister for Children in Australia to represent their voice, concerns and future aspirations on a national level.
In 2024, only half (53%) of children were developmentally on track across all five domains measured by the Australian Early Development Census.
Children are also navigating growing risks both online and at home. In fact, new eSafety Commissioner research finds over half (53%) of Australian children aged 10-17 have experienced cyberbullying, while close to two-thirds (60%) have seen or heard online hate.
In addition, around 179,000 children came into contact with the child protection system in 2023-24, with emotional abuse, including exposure to family and domestic violence, the most common primary type of substantiated maltreatment.
That’s why this Children’s Week, Act for Kids is calling on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to give kids a voice in Canberra through a dedicated Federal Minister for Children.
Australian children aren’t getting a fair go
- There are almost 5.8 million children under the age of 18 living in Australia, yet no one is representing them on a national level in Cabinet
- Instead, issues affecting children are fragmented across other government portfolios including education, social services, the Attorney-General, health and youth
- This splintered approach creates the risk of gaps, duplication and inconsistent support for children
- Countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom already have dedicated Ministers for Children, but there is no national voice for Australian children
Children are the future of this country. A Federal Minister would be responsible for making it a good one, by:
- Working with all the Children’s Commissioners, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner/s to prioritise the voices of children and young people in decision-making
- Representing Australian children in Cabinet and Parliament
- Advocating on issues important to Australian children
- Working with parliament to create and pass new laws related to the safety, wellbeing and development of Australia’s children
It’s just common sense.
It is time to give kids a voice in Canberra. Add your voice to the petition to ensure all Australian children are represented on a national level.
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The issue
Almost one in five Australians is under the age of 18, yet there is no dedicated Minister for Children in Australia to represent their voice, concerns and future aspirations on a national level.
In 2024, only half (53%) of children were developmentally on track across all five domains measured by the Australian Early Development Census.
Children are also navigating growing risks both online and at home. In fact, new eSafety Commissioner research finds over half (53%) of Australian children aged 10-17 have experienced cyberbullying, while close to two-thirds (60%) have seen or heard online hate.
In addition, around 179,000 children came into contact with the child protection system in 2023-24, with emotional abuse, including exposure to family and domestic violence, the most common primary type of substantiated maltreatment.
That’s why this Children’s Week, Act for Kids is calling on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to give kids a voice in Canberra through a dedicated Federal Minister for Children.
Australian children aren’t getting a fair go
- There are almost 5.8 million children under the age of 18 living in Australia, yet no one is representing them on a national level in Cabinet
- Instead, issues affecting children are fragmented across other government portfolios including education, social services, the Attorney-General, health and youth
- This splintered approach creates the risk of gaps, duplication and inconsistent support for children
- Countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom already have dedicated Ministers for Children, but there is no national voice for Australian children
Children are the future of this country. A Federal Minister would be responsible for making it a good one, by:
- Working with all the Children’s Commissioners, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner/s to prioritise the voices of children and young people in decision-making
- Representing Australian children in Cabinet and Parliament
- Advocating on issues important to Australian children
- Working with parliament to create and pass new laws related to the safety, wellbeing and development of Australia’s children
It’s just common sense.
It is time to give kids a voice in Canberra. Add your voice to the petition to ensure all Australian children are represented on a national level.
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Petition created on 8 October 2026