Leon Rebello (McPherson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on an issue that affects every parent across our nation—that is, child care. Child care is a cornerstone of a strong economy. It enables parents to return to work, supports early childhood development and helps families balance the competing pressures of modern life. Yet, despite record government spending on childcare subsidies, parents are paying more out of pocket than ever before. That's a reality that families simply cannot ignore. It's vital that we have a childcare system that truly works.

Recently I spoke with local advocate Jen Fleming in my electorate, and I speak today to amplify her voice. Jen reminds us that no two families look the same, and childcare policies must reflect that. Australian parents already patch together care in makeshift ways—time at home, help from grandparents, centre based care, flexible work arrangements. They make it work because they have to. But government funding and regulations remain built around a narrow one-size-fits-all model that doesn't always reflect the way that families actually live. Jen shared how young parents are doing everything they can to get ahead, yet they're being squeezed from every direction, juggling work, rising bills and childcare options that simply do not meet their needs. Through Childcare Choice Australia, she's calling for balance and genuine flexibility.

Not only is a system that supports flexibility fairer for families; it streamlines access to care, strengthens workforce participation and reflects how care already happens in practice. This isn't about attacking providers. Centre based care plays an important role, but it should be one option among many, not the default dictated by policy design. Government policy should, at its core, support parents.

The first responsibility of any government is to keep Australians safe, and that means shutting the door on ISIS terrorists. Right now, a group of individuals linked to ISIS is seeking to return to Australia, yet this Prime Minister is not doing everything possible to stop them. In fact, the opposite appears to be true. Passports have been issued, visas have been granted, and the Commonwealth has been actively engaging with state governments about their return and resettlement.

These are people who, against all government advice, chose to leave Australia to join an extremist terrorist movement. They knew that this was a serious betrayal and that it would carry serious consequences, yet they still chose to abandon our nation. These people left Australia to fight against our values and our way of life, and that is why we're introducing a bill to protect Australia. Our legislation would make it a criminal offence to facilitate the re-entry of individuals linked to terrorist organisations or who support terrorist causes. If you choose ISIS over Australia, you should not expect Australia to welcome you back. The door must be shut. I urge the government to support this bill in the national interest.

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