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

The most important feature of this announcement was that we gave families, preschools and school communities certainty. Under Labor there was no certainty. But now they have certainty that they can plan their programs for 2015. The government's absolute commitment to early education in the preschool year will provide them with that certainty.

As we know, the Productivity Commission is looking at preschool. Its final report, due in October, will have more to say about the funding arrangements between the Commonwealth and the states when it comes to preschool. I reiterate that this is a very common-sense approach and $406 million has been allocated for the 2015 year. It gives us time to carefully consider future policy.

The member for Adelaide was screeching something about 'one more year' as I walked up to the dispatch box. I know 'breathtaking hypocrisy' is a bit of a cliche, but this really is breathtaking hypocrisy because if she had read the national partnership that she was the minister in charge of—she obviously never read it; I do not know how many of her briefs she did read—she would have seen that Labor committed not one dollar of funding post the end of 2014. So to criticise the government and ask what we are doing in 2016 when Labor was doing nothing in 2015 under its arrangements is, as I said, absolute, breathtaking hypocrisy. You see, Madam Speaker, Labor cannot accept the reality—

Ms Owens interjecting—

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