Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

It is interesting to receive a question from the opposition minister who presided over a 44 per cent increase in the cost of child care during her time in government and simply sat on her hands and, at one stage, said that it was only going up by 57c a week. The opposition minister has asked me about family day care and long day care prior to the Productivity Commission review. We are launching—the Prime Minister and I actually launched the draft terms of reference about a year ago—an inquiry into child care in order to make it more affordable, flexible and accessible for families. The one message I have always heard and we have always heard on this side concerns the lack of affordability and flexibility.

The opposition minister is talking about changes to family day care and changes to other forms of care, but everything that comes under the purview of child care will be considered by the Productivity Commission—

Ms Kate Ellis interjecting—

opposition minister—everything. We are having a wide-ranging inquiry. Nothing is on or off the table, and nor should it be.

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