Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today on behalf of the Australian families who are hurting hard as a result of the Abbott government's cuts, including over $1 billion that they have cut from existing childcare programs. It is long past the time for this government to stop talking about childcare solutions and start acting. As opposed to just talking, the only thing that this government have done is to cut and cut some more when it comes to the childcare support that Australian families rely upon.

We have seen over $1 billion cut, including $157 million cut from Family Day Care services, which Family Day Care Australia have said will increase fees by $35 a week for the families that rely upon those services. We have a bill before this parliament right now to cut the means-tested childcare benefit that low- and middle-income families rely upon, and that will leave 500,000 Australian families worse off.

I want to make it very clear that I am always open to engaging with government and to looking for solutions for Australia's childcare system. However, I will continue to tell the government that their $1 billion in cuts must be reversed. If they want anything in terms of bipartisan solutions they should join us in saying that those cuts are wrong and that those cuts will immediately be reversed.