A campaign launched by Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation is lobbying for an overhaul of Australia’s childcare system.

The ‘Thrive by Five’ campaign advocates for a universal funding model, designed to ensure no child is left behind by out of pocket costs.

Former South Australian premier and ‘Thrive by Five’ CEO Jay Weatherill told Scott Emerson the current system “has really been set up as a child minding service”.

There’s a strong scientific case to be made for the importance of early education, he said.

“About 18 per cent of the services aren’t meeting quality standards.

“When you realise how important those first five years are, that’s an appalling thing.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Image: Getty