Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Is the government planning any policy changes to increase female workforce participation in regional Australia? Or does the Deputy Prime Minister agree with one of his government colleagues, who says women using child care, and I quote, 'are outsourcing parenting'?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before I call the Deputy Prime Minister: I've had to address these matters before. Ministers can't be asked about statements of other members of the House. It's clear in the Practice. The first part of the question, though, is completely in order.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do support child care. I absolutely support child care. In fact, I'm one of the beneficiaries of child care, and I live in a regional area—and it is important for either parent that takes on a primary caring role. At times it is the case that both have to go out to work to make the payments—to pay for the house, to pay for the car—and this is a vital component of how our society works. We're lucky we can do it.

The changes that are actually improving it have been brought in by this side of the parliament. It's this side of the parliament that has understood that concept and it is this side of the parliament that is championing that concept. People at home, whether they're mothers at home or fathers at home, had to wait until we were on the Treasury benches for these issues to be dealt with. I might ask the minister, if she wishes, to add to my comments.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On this side of the House we firmly believe in choice. If families want to use the childcare system, they can; if they want to have a stay-at-home parent, they can. In some instances, parents don't have that choice, because both parents need to go into the workforce. In that instance, we need to provide affordable quality child care. That's exactly what this government has been doing. We've increased childcare subsidies by 77 per cent since we came to office. In the most recent budget, we added an additional $1.7 billion of subsidy, particularly targeting families with two or more children in child care. Why is that? Because, if you have two or more children in child care, that's where the cost really start to add up. It's a targeted approach. It will help 250,000 families across the country. My question to those opposite, who are interjecting and shouting out—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you don't get to ask questions; you only get to answer them.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I put this to the opposition: will you back our legislation which we will be introducing—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. The minister—

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will re-state this. Tomorrow we will be introducing legislation to enact these additional new changes which will benefit 250,000 families. I will be looking for support from those opposite for this bill. Declare where you will stand, because 250,000 families rely on the support of this bill to get through this parliament.