Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Senator Walsh. Given the state and territory governments are responsible for the majority of urgent reforms that need to be made to Australia's broken childcare system to ensure we are properly protecting our kids, when will childcare laws across Australia begin?

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

Thank you, Senator Duniam, for the question. It has been a really distressing time in early childhood education as these devastating allegations have been brought forward. It is a really difficult time for all of those families of children affected, families who have children in early childhood education and care and really the whole community that is watching what's going on. We think it's really important that we use every lever that we have to make sure that we can keep children safe in early childhood education and care and make sure that parents have confidence that they are safe too.

We have introduced, as you know, really important Commonwealth legislation to cut funding from those providers who put safety ahead of profit. At the same time, we are working shoulder to shoulder with the states and territories—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam?

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just on a point of order on relevance, I asked specifically about the laws that are to come into effect from a state and territory point of view. I am happy with the federal stuff, but I would be keen to hear that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will draw the minister to that part of your question.

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

I had just come to the states and territories on what is a really important issue for children and for families. We are working with the states and territories right now, shoulder to shoulder. We think what families want to see right now is all of us working together. We will have at the next urgent standalone education ministers meeting in August a strong and significant package of child safety reforms. That's because, as you know, every child deserves to be safe in early education.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam, a first supplementary?

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

By what specific date have you asked state and territory ministers to have these urgent reforms in place?

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

I attended my first education ministers meeting at the end of June. At that meeting, both Minister Clare and I tasked officials with coming up with an urgent plan for reform. We also scheduled a standalone education ministers meeting for August solely focused on this package of significant and strong reforms, including the first-ever nationwide register of early childhood educators.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. Senator Duniam's question was very, very tight. He simply asked by what date Australians families can expect to know when these measures are going to be put in place.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think the minister has been directly relevant to the question.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! I am giving a response. If a senator stands to make a point of order, I expect senators to be silent as I respond to it. The minister is being directly relevant, Senator Ruston. Minister Walsh, please continue.

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

You have asked for dates. We had a meeting at the end of June. We organised an urgent second meeting, which will be towards the end of August. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam, second supplementary?

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, have you or have you not asked state and territory ministers to have these urgent reforms and improvements to laws to protect our children completed and in place by a certain date? And, if you haven't, why haven't you?

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

Senator Duniam, thanks for the question. I think this issue—of keeping children safe in early childhood education and making sure that parents have the confidence that their children are safe—is absolutely an issue that should be above politics. We have really appreciated, on this side of the chamber, your bipartisanship and your offer of ongoing bipartisanship for the reforms that we're working on, in terms of both the legislation and what will be a strong and significant package of reforms brought by our education ministers.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is, again, in relation to direct relevance. We all agree the reforms are urgent, which is why we have asked: what date has the minister given the states to have reforms in place? Have you asked them this?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would make the point first on what we thought was a bipartisan set of propositions—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Have you got a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do; I'm speaking to the point of order. The minister is setting out the process by which these urgent reforms are being progressed. I would have thought it was self-evident to the opposition that that is directly relevant to the question that was asked. But, more importantly, I would have thought it was deserving of bipartisan support.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, on the point of order: with all due respect to Senator Wong as Leader of the Government in the Senate, the question was quite specific in relation to whether the minister has asked the state and territory ministers to have what we all agree are urgent reforms to protect our children completed by a certain date.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand very clearly the question. Senator Cash, it is my view that the minister is being relevant, but I will point her to that specific part of the question.

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

Officials and states and territories are in absolutely no doubt that these reforms are urgent. It's why we've called a special meeting to consider those reforms.