Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In recognition of the importance of a child's early years to their health, wellbeing, education and future, the Albanese Labor government is supporting and funding measures that help parents maximise their learning opportunities in the crucial first five years. These early years are critical for lifelong learning, and we are funding a range of measures that will make a real difference, as they are the years that establish the foundation of a child's life, the building blocks.

Research shows that children who have access to quality early learning programs have better educational outcomes, including enhanced literacy and numeracy skills. Next month, we are increasing the childcare subsidy, meaning child care will be cheaper for around 1.2 million families, giving them access to the transformational benefits of early learning regardless of circumstances. This will have a flow-on impact which will enable more parents to work or study. This will help increase women's workforce participation by improving choice. It will also benefit businesses, who will find it easier to retain staff when employees have access to cheaper and more affordable child care. We know that there is more work to do, but there is an important step to take, and this is a very important first step.

Within my electorate of Pearce, the Lake Joondalup Early Learning Program is an example opportunity of community based, not-for-profit childcare services that focuses on early childhood development under the Early Years Learning Framework. I recently visited the centre with the Minister for Early Childhood Education, the member for Cowan. We understand the importance of early childhood. We saw the wonderful work of the caring and qualified staff. We saw for ourselves the effect that they have on the children. As the member for Cowan and I know, in the Pearce electorate, eight babies a day are born to families—eight babies a day—so the importance of early childhood is something that we are very interested in, and it's very important work.

The Lake Joondalup Early Learning Program was established 12 years ago and has a strong commitment to development and wellbeing outcomes for pre-kindy and additional-needs children in our communities. I was proud to show the minister, the member for Cowan, this fantastic centre, which sits on an acre of land and is surrounded by the natural world of plants, nature and animals. The centre is equipped with a specialised sensory room for children with learning difficulties that provides opportunities to build confidence, explore and develop different areas of the brain. It is clear that the children are thriving and their families are appreciative of the focus on the importance of early learning initiatives, especially for those with additional needs, including autism.

Children at a community centre like the Lake Joondalup Early Learning Program benefit from having a team of educators who are trained professionals with accredited degrees and experience in early childhood education and development. A paediatric nurse is also on staff, which is rare in childcare centres. What is also special about this centre is that it collaborates with speech and occupational therapists and other inclusion support specialists with their focus on being inclusive of all children, which is to be commended.

The Albanese Labor government is also looking ahead and is taking steps to consider how to build an affordable and accessible universal early education system that is high quality. We have two inquiries looking into Australia's early learning and childhood education system and have tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to carry out an inquiry into early education and care sector prices. This will help build on our plan for a sustainable and accessible early childhood education sector, where no family or child is left behind.

From next month, these changes will deliver more affordable early childhood education and care for around 1.2 million families. Under the former government, childcare fees skyrocketed by 49 per cent. However, we are turning this around. The Albanese Labor government's changes mean that a family on a combined income of $120,000 with one child in care will save around $1,700 in the first year of this plan.

Our government is committed to supporting accessibility and affordability of early childhood care and education for First Nations children and their families. We are also recognising the vital job of early-learning educators and know that more must be done to attract, retain and support the workforce. That's why we are investing $72.4 million to support the skills and training of the early childhood education and care sector, to help build skills and strengthen the supply of qualified workers.

To the member for Cowan, our minister: I am sure that you agree that the Albanese Labor government is certainly committed to early childhood in our communities.

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