Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Senator Walsh. The issue of child care has been a topic of national debate in recent weeks. The safety of children is very important to us all. What has received less attention is the effect that having a child today actually has on parents. Many parents want to be able to raise their kids at home, but economic realities mean they are forced to enrol their children in early childhood education centres—if they can find an available centre. With rising mortgages, utilities and other cost-of-living factors, how is this government supporting parents to stay at home, if they choose to, with their kids?

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

This week is the first meeting of this parliament during which paid parental leave has gone up to 24 weeks. We understand that families want to spend more time with their children when they're babies. This was a great Labor reform that started under the Rudd-Gillard government, when paid parental leave was introduced for the first time. It was capped at 18 weeks. It sat there, at 18 weeks, for about 10 years under those opposite. When we returned to government, we brought paid parental leave up to 24 weeks, starting in July, and it will go up to 26 weeks next year.

We understand that families—mums and dads—want to spend more time at home with their new babies. We also understand, Senator Payman, that the reality of modern families is that often both parents need to work. They need to go back to work to support themselves and their families, and quality, affordable early education is absolutely critical for that. It's critical for mums who want to go back to work. It's critical for families, to help them pay their bills. It's critical for mums and dads to participate in the labour market.

Of course, there are also huge benefits for children in accessing quality early childhood education, Senator Payman. We know that it's a game changer for young children to participate in quality early learning that sets them up for school and for life.

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

Senator Payman, first supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Clare has said that there are overwhelmingly higher levels of quality care at not-for-profit childcare centres. Despite this, 90 per cent of childcare centres are run for profit, and many of these have been found to be deficient in recent times. We want quality care. We want our children not to be neglected and for their nutrition to be intact. What actions is the government taking to encourage and support not-for-profit care?

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

It's right that two-thirds of early childhood education is provided by for-profit providers in Australia today. I want to reassure families that the vast majority of those providers are meeting and exceeding our national quality standards. We are concerned in this discussion about safety and quality, about a small minority of providers who we believe are putting profit ahead of child safety. That is exactly why we have a bill before the parliament right now to allow us to withdraw Commonwealth childcare subsidies from those providers who put profit ahead of safety. More broadly, this government wants to see more quality not-for-profit early learning. That's why we have a billion-dollar fund to invest in just that.

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

Senator Payman, second supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate what you're doing, Minister. Last year, the Productivity Commission completed its review of early childhood education and care. The report contained many recommendations, including a review of the National Quality Framework. Will the government implement this recommendation and review the National Quality Framework, given its concern, before putting the legislation before the Senate next week?

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

Thank you very much, Senator Payman. The National Quality Framework is considered to be world leading. The question that we have ahead of us at the moment is whether providers are following the National Quality Framework. We think the standards are strong, but we can see that enforcement needs to be better. That's why we're working shoulder to shoulder with the states and territories on a strong and significant package of reform. Those reforms include the first nationwide register of early childhood educators and also mandatory child-safe training across providers and educators to give everyone in our early learning settings the tools to help keep children safe and to give parents the confidence that their children are safe.