Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Grogan for her question. I know that everyone on this side of the chamber, including Senator Grogan, values our nation's hardworking early childhood educators. Next Monday is a historic day for our nation's dedicated professional early educators because this is when the second part of our 15 per cent pay rise rolls out. It means an extra $160 a week in their pay packets. When combined with our support for minimum wage rises, that's an extra $200 a week all up. This is a game changer for this workforce.

I can say that I am proud to have represented early educators through their union before I entered parliament. I'm proud to have stood with them as they advocated for the respect and recognition that they deserved under 10 long years of Liberal governments who never listened and never acted. I am proud to be part of an Albanese Labor government that has listened, that has acted and that is delivering this much-deserved 15 per cent pay rise.

This is a predominantly female workforce who for too long were asked to accept low wages for the love of caring for children. For too long, our dedicated early educators were underpaid and were undervalued by those opposite, and we are changing that because we know that love doesn't pay the bills. We know that traditionally female dominated work, like education and care, is highly skilled work. We know it deserves to be valued—valued in the community, valued by government and valued through the pay packets of our educators. (Time expired)