Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Let me draw the Senate’s attention, with respect to this criticism of the government regarding the provision of child-care places, to these two figures. In 1996, the last year of the Labor government, there were 300,000 child-care places. The Treasurer announced that we are budgeting for over 700,000 places in 2009. I think that very definitively answers the question and very definitively shows the priority that this government has given to the matter. Senator Lundy, if you are opposed to the increase in the number of child-care places which this government has provided, that makes you a one-off in this chamber. Everyone else supports exactly what this government is doing in child care and the priority that it has given to child care.