Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. Can I tell her that this government believes in providing support to the childcare sector at record levels—record levels—and that support goes directly to families to help them to be able to afford child care, and that will grow from $9.2 billion this year over the forward estimates to $10 billion. Can I say that the government stands ready to help and assist the childcare sector as it comes out of this pandemic, because we stood by the sector throughout the pandemic, providing an additional $900 million to the sector throughout the pandemic, as was recognised by the sector at the time. They said:

We applaud the Government's commitment to ensuring that early learning and care services could survive the COVID-19 pandemic …

And they also appreciate the support we're continuing to give in Victoria, which is still being hit by the pandemic. This is what the Australian Childcare Alliance President has said:

We commend the government for recognising the unique circumstances facing Victorian early learning services and for continuing the extensive support offered to our vital sector since the beginning of the pandemic.

And that support will last up until April next year. This government has stood with the childcare sector right throughout this pandemic. We're standing with it as we come out of this pandemic, growing our funding from $9.2 billion to $10 billion.

Can I once again place on record our appreciation—I'm sure I do this on behalf of all the House—to those early childhood educators who've worked right throughout this pandemic to make sure that our young children could get the support that they needed while those essential service workers were there making sure that we could continue to drive our nation throughout this pandemic.

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