I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the first week of September was Early Learning Matters Week, which highlights how early childhood education supports the well-being of our children, families and society; and

(b) supports a well-resourced and accessibly early childhood education system with professional pay for staff.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave is granted for one minute.

The Morrison government wants every Australian to have access to a quality education. We've provided a record $8.6 billion for child care in this year's budget, rising to $9.5 billion. Our government's childcare policy is supporting families to access child care while they work, learn, volunteer or study. Because of our reforms, out-of-pocket costs for families are down 7.9 per cent. Since 2014 the government has provided $2.8 billion, available to states and territories to support universal access to 15 hours per week of preschool for children in the year before school, including $449½ million to extend arrangements to the end of 2020.

Question agreed to.