Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

This is a very important aspect. Indeed, this side of politics recognises that, when you are going to embark on major reforms that come with additional costs—and the childcare reforms involve more than $3 billion of additional expenditure—they must be paid for. Some on that side seem to recognise that as well; I know that Ms Macklin, the shadow families spokesman, has acknowledged that the childcare reforms 'must be paid for somehow'. Yet the Labor Party have no means of identifying how they will pay for it. On this side of politics we have indicated reforms that will help to pay for this additional $3 billion in support—reforms so that we can afford to support grandparents in their care for their grandchildren, reforms so that we can ensure families who need the greatest number of hours of childcare support are able to access it, reforms to ensure that families who need the greatest level of subsidy are able to access the greatest level of subsidy. But those opposite seem to stand in the way of such reforms and stand against helping those who most need assistance. (Time expired)