Carol Berry (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. How is the Albanese Labor government investing in education in this budget? What would put this at risk?

Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I thank my friend, the wonderful member for Whitlam. Tomorrow is Public Education Day, and I am a proud product of public education. The truth is that our public schools have never been properly funded or even on a path to full funding until now, until this government and until this Prime Minister fixed the funding of our public schools. In the budget, you see it—the biggest new investment in public education by an Australian government ever, $20 billion over the next decade. All of that is now at risk. We remember what the Liberal Party did the last time they were in power. They ripped the guts out of funding for our public schools.

On the weekend, on Sunday Agenda, with Andrew Clennell, Senator Andrew Bragg threatened to do it all over again. He repeatedly refused to rule out cuts to health and cuts to education. I think that should send a shiver down the spine of every parent around the country. But it's not the only thing that they've threatened to cut. There are two other things on the chopping block.

We're building childcare centres at the moment, right across the country, where they're needed—in our public primary schools, including two in the member for Whitlam's electorate, one in Calderwood and one in West Dapto. It makes sense because, if you're a mum or a dad with a child in primary school and a child in child care, then it means one drop off, not two. Guess what? The Liberal Party have said they'll get rid of all of that as well. We're also helping kids get the skills that they need to get ready to start school, kids like Marina's little boy, Jason. Good name; good kid. Last year, Marina couldn't get him into child care, and that little boy wasn't talking—

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was his name again?

Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

His name was Jason. What a good kid. He wasn't talking, wasn't making eye contact and wasn't playing with other kids. Guess what? Now, he's in a childcare centre in Broadmeadows, and he's doing it all. He's talking, he's pointing, and he's socialising with other kids. That is the power of early education. That is life-changing stuff. That little boy is there because of a decision that we made here—because we changed the law, because we created the three-day guarantee. That means that Marina is guaranteed access to three days a week of subsidised child care, and that little boy Jason and every kid in this country has the chance and the opportunity that they deserve. Guess what? The Liberal Party want to get rid of all of that as well. (Time expired)

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.