Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

From birth to age 3, a child's brain develops at an extraordinary pace. In those early years, more than a million neural connections form every second. The bonds formed between baby, mother and father in this period form the foundations for emotional security, learning capacity and life-long wellbeing. I spoke about early childhood development in my first speech in this place because it matters. Policy in this space must reflect both the science and the lived reality of Australian families. The current government's approach to child care is focused on universal, centre based care, and billions of dollars are directed toward it. While that model may work for some families, it doesn't work for all.

Families are diverse. Their work patterns, their cultural values, their faith traditions and their support networks differ. Some rely on grandparents. Others prefer family day care or in-home arrangements. Some parents wish to spend more time at home in the early years. That decision ought to be celebrated, not scorned. A system built around one care model cannot adequately reflect diversity. This is the fundamental philosophical difference between the Albanese government and the coalition. We believe that parental choice should drive childcare policy. Governments should empower families with real options, not force them into a 'one size fits all' approach favoured by Canberra.

I'm honoured and humbled to have been appointed the shadow minister for choice in child care and early learning, alongside my responsibilities in child protection and the prevention of family violence. I look forward to working constructively with families and stakeholders to build a flexible and responsive childcare system. It will always be the opposition's priority to put families back in the driver's seat when it comes to the future of their children, because stronger families are the foundation of a stronger Australia.