Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Early Childhood and Youth, Senator Kim Carr. With the government's announcement today of $300 million capped over two years for child care wages to be lifted, a stark contrast to the $1.4 billion the childcare sector has been calling for—a quick back-of-the-envelope sum less than one-tenth—how many of the 60,000 childcare workers in fact will get any of this wage rise, especially considering that the majority, 70 per cent of them, are not on enterprise bargaining agreements?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. Today there have been announcements which highlight the significant changes that are occurring in child care as a result of this government's modernisation of childcare arrangements in this country. The basic principle that Labor stands by in this matter is that modern families want quality child care. In this day and age, it is the responsibility of governments to work closely with the childcare sector to ensure that we have a system that is flexible, that is of the highest quality and that actually meets the needs of Australian parents.

We understand that hardworking and dedicated early childhood workers have rights, and the government is prepared to work with the industry to ensure that those rights are recognised. That is why we are investing $300 million over two years to provide wage increases to the early childhood education and care workforce and to assist services to attract and to retain quality staff. This is a significant increase for early childhood educators. Through the Early Years Quality Fund, the government will provide grants to eligible long-day care services that will enable them to provide increases of $3 per hour to certificate III qualified personnel and provide proportional increases for those with diploma and bachelor qualified staff.

The government's announcement further assists to ensure the professional status of those who work in the industry, the hardworking staff, is able to be maintained and that we are able to provide a significant level of support to encourage the owners of childcare services—(Time expired)

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer, although he did not actually answer the question I asked, which was: how many workers will actually benefit from this wage rise? We know that 70 per cent of the workforce is not eligible, based on the criteria outlined by the ministers today. Knowing how important it is to lift quality, why has this announcement not gone to helping lift the wages of qualified teachers in childcare centres?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): I thank the senator for her question, but the priority of the government has been to assist the lowest paid within the childcare workforce. You would be aware that the states also have responsibilities in terms of the teaching requirements, and we have seen disputes across a number of states. As a result of the intransigence of state governments in meeting their obligations to assist meeting the wages bill of qualified teachers in various centres and various settings across the state education system, we have seen that the rundown in the education system has meant that there has been a significant reduction in the amount of money that is actually going towards the indexation arrangements for our education system. So, in fact, these state budget cuts have led to a reduction in funding—(Time expired)

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my final supplementary question to the minister is: what is the minister's response to claims within the government's own ranks that cutting the single parent's pension, pushing single mothers and their children below the poverty line, has undermined any moves in relation to child care?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister can answer that in so much as it applies to the portfolio that he is responding on behalf of.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I am more than happy to take the question, but I do think it is way outside of the standing orders to be asking a question of one portfolio and switching to an entirely different portfolio in a subsequent supplementary question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have indicated that you need answer it only in so much as it applies to your portfolio.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will just indicate to the senator that, if she wishes to ask a question in the Human Services portfolio, I am more than happy to deal with it. The fact remains that the government is seeking to provide additional support to single parents through a range of measures—not just the Newstart payment, but through a range of measures—which, of course, go towards providing assistance to maintain our young children. The proposition that you have advanced is, in fact, based on a falsehood. The proposition here is about ensuring that we encourage people to actually take up employment. We know that the single—(Time expired)