Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

something, I presume from the interjections, that the Liberal Party is opposed to. We have entered into a $126 million plan for workforce development. This will include removing TAFE fees for those who want to be childcare workers and creating an additional 1,500 university places for those who want to be early learning educators. And we have a plan for childcare infrastructure, bringing up to 260 new centres around the country, and a plan for an early learning years framework so that, no matter what setting children are cared for in, they have the benefit of an early education program. Each and every day, I and the parliamentary secretary responsible in the area, the member for Bennelong, have worked step by step on these measures, which were desperately needed in this industry and neglected by the Liberal Party when in government. What seems even more amazing to me than the attitude of the Liberal Party when in government is the fact that it has learnt absolutely nothing in opposition. Can I refer the House to an extraordinary transcript this morning from the member for Indi, the shadow minister now responsible for this area—an extraordinary transcript, very interesting reading—where she is asked—

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