Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] It's with pride that I speak about the coalition's record in early learning. I also recognise there's similar passion on the other side of the chamber but point out to the previous speaker that the federal government isn't responsible for setting the wages in the public sector. This is done through an appropriate independent Fair Work process. I suggest that the previous speaker pay a bit more attention to the number of applications that have been made to Fair Work to increase those wage rates, something I think is very important and has widespread support.

Today we're recognising how the early learning sector evolved and adapted to get through the COVID process. While every opportunity was taken by the government to have some form of continuity, the shock that was placed on the early learning sector necessitated some unique interventions. We recognise that COVID would have led to falls of well over 50 per cent of income had there not been a Commonwealth response. That response was quickly implemented, particularly where there were falls in attendance of greater than 50 per cent. The waiving of fees for families in that situation was important. It worked. It kept staffing levels as high as possible, particularly in the non-casual sector. Fee freezes, as well, made a really big difference.

We can now reflect on the fact that, next year, government payments to this sector will be nearly double where they were under the Labor administration in 2013. We will see up to 1.2 million families benefiting from them, and the particular changes that we're bringing forward in the budget next year will help about a quarter of a million of those. Remember that allowing second and subsequent children able to get even more childcare subsidy than they otherwise would makes a huge affordability difference. A family which has two income earners on say, $65,000 and $45,000 respectively will be more than $100 per week better off under these changes. The annual cap of just over $10,000 for those with two children in full-time care will see significant improvements. This cap that applies to those earning over $190,000 is effectively removed. It means that all families can benefit, making sure that attending early learning, the same as attending secondary education, is affordable for everyone. Removal of the cap benefits around 18,000 families. This will have massive impacts at the marginal tax rate level for families in that situation, but don't miss the fact we're also making huge changes for those on lower incomes.

Most importantly, I want to draw attention to the most vulnerable. We know that typically 15 per cent of children in the early development census are vulnerable. Another 10 per cent, on average, are at risk. In some areas it's far higher. The role of government is to get it right for this group of people. I remember debating the state health minister last year, when she was the education minister. She wasn't even aware of what proportion of her own state was vulnerable when her government was saying that only vulnerable children could attend school. It is important that we all know that one in six to one in five children need these additional supports. In some cases under this government's reform it's paying the full amount plus some to make sure that those children can attend and making sure that up to 12 hours per week are available to all families. For more early learning support than that there has to be some form of manager activity, which we think is critically important. Locally, in Bowman, under Early Learning Redlands, a fabulous local group really making a difference, we've built a considerable group of providers that can offer allied health support for these children.

I want to make the observation that we've always had strong GP connections to visits in aged-care facilities. But this nation is yet to make that direct connection between holistic general practice care and visiting children in early learning centres to ensure they get the allied health they need. One of my great policy pushes was to use those EPCs, those primary care Medicare item numbers, more freely for all Australians, including children, to get coordinated allied health support, including psychology, so they could get the start they needed at school and be ready to be educated. These highly vulnerable children deserve additional support. Goodstart Early Learning is leading the way, but current providers as well need to find ways to connect with GPs and make sure that these allied health services are delivered in the centre, which would be quite revolutionary, or that these parents can at least get access to allied health, given the workforce shortages, outside that. Nothing is more important than looking after these young Australians.

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