Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education. How is the Albanese Labor government making early learning more affordable to benefit Australian families and the economy?

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bennelong for his question. I just want to take a moment to recognise how hard the member for Bennelong fights for families and children in his electorate and the number of times he has stood in this place to speak out for and behalf of the families and children in his electorate. It's wonderful to serve with him in this place.

In around two weeks time our reforms that raise the childcare subsidy and make early childhood education and care more affordable for 1.2 million families across Australia will take place. That's 9½ thousand families in the electorate of Gellibrand, that's 7,000 families in Moncrieff, that's 5,600 families in Mayo, and that's 265,000 families in rural and regional Australia. We made those changes because we recognised that for too long the cost of early childhood education had been way too high, putting pressure on families who were already struggling with the rising costs of living. Our changes will see the maximum rate of the childcare subsidy increase to 90 per cent for families earning $80,000 or less and will extend the childcare subsidy to families earning up to $530,000.

But these changes will do more than just reduce costs, because a great early childhood education and care system pays a triple dividend. First of all, it sets up Australian children for a great start in life. We know that because the evidence tells us that. Secondly, it helps families get ahead. And, importantly, it builds our economic prosperity by supporting workforce participation and productivity. That's particularly the case for women, who are generally the primary caregivers. We know that the high costs of early learning often act as a massive disincentive for women to get back into the workforce, to take on more hours or more days, or to go back to study and increase their skills if they so wish. More affordable early learning means that families can get extra income. Women can go back to work and add to the family income if they so wish. They can build their careers and they can build their retirement savings.

The Albanese Labor government take women's economic security seriously, and we believe in providing a choice for Australian women. By boosting the childcare subsidy, we will make a real difference to Australian families. We're proud of everything that we've achieved in just over a year, delivering on our election commitment to make early childhood education and care more affordable, but we know that there's much more work to do.