Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education. Can the minister rule out childcare changes to the family assistance act prior to the Productivity Commission review being completed? And can she specifically rule out making any changes to limit the flexibility of family day care that is currently provided under sections 205 to 207 of the act?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to 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.

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The question is about making changes prior to receiving the Productivity Commission's report.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not sufficient to restate the question. You must say what is the point of order required.

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Relevance.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Then say so.

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is relevance. The question is about prior to receiving the report.

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

I have no plans to make any changes prior to the Productivity Commission review. The Productivity Commission reports in October 2014. So what the shadow minister is asking me is what I am going to do before a review even starts, before it is even completed, before it even comes to the parliament, before we even consider any legislative changes. The question does not make any sense.