Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education. I refer the minister to the June quarter 2013 report into child care and early learning produced by the Department of Education stating that childcare fees in long day care centres have risen by nearly $70 a week in recent years. Families in my electorate tell me that this is making their limited childcare options unaffordable. Will the minister outline what action the government is taking to reduce childcare fees?

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

It was a terrific opportunity to visit the member for Corangamite's electorate last week to meet with the learning centre at Belmont, attend a roundtable hosted by the Torquay Early Learning Centre and meet with the Surf Coast Shire. Things have changed in the electorate of Corangamite. We now have a connected, energetic, community based member. It was a delight to spend the day with her, but I heard the same message there as I have heard across Australia. Sadly the legacy of the previous government was revealed in a report released last week. This report told us that childcare costs in long day care centres have gone up 50 per cent and for most families that is an extra $70 a week.

That is what we have inherited, but we have a plan. We have launched our Productivity Commission inquiry. Submissions closed last week and we will have a draft report in July.

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Charlton will excuse himself from the House. He will not put his hand to his mouth to make it a megaphone.

The member for Charlton then left the chamber.

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

We will have a final report in October. Things are moving quickly and I want to reassure the three-quarters of a million families who took their children back to child care last week—many of whom are struggling with rising costs and are unable to take up the careers they would like to have to meet their needs because they cannot find affordable child care near them—that we have already acted to cut red tape in concert with state and territory ministers. I look forward to the outcome of our Productivity Commission review. I thank the shadow minister for making a submission to the review and helpfully telling us all the problems in the childcare landscape at the moment—she is not in the House today. Isn't that an admission of all the things she failed to fix when she was childcare minister in the Labor government?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After 25 questions and answers, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.