Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

After months of spin about lifting productivity, Labor's roundtable delivered little for renters, workers or the environment and ignored a major barrier to productivity—lack of access to quality child care. High quality, affordable early childhood education enables women to participate in the workforce, supports children's development and delivers substantial long-term returns. A universal, low-cost system could grow our economy by over $100 billion, yet nearly one in four Australians live in areas with almost no access to child care. Reports of neglect and abuse highlight that the system is not consistently safe or high quality. As Labor continues to tinker at the edges, it gives fossil fuel corporations like Woodside a seat at the table, rather than families and parents.

That's why we've established a Senate inquiry into the safety and quality of early childhood education. The inquiry will examine the role of for-profit providers and the failures of the market driven model. It will also give families and educators a well-deserved voice at the table to share stories and demand change.