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

This morning, many of us had the opportunity to hear from the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia, ELACCA, about the future of early childhood education in this country. Their message was clear: if we want a stronger economy, stronger families and stronger communities, we must build an early learning system that works for all Australians.

But in Western Australia, particularly in our regional communities, that promise is far from reality. Across regional WA we're seeing the rise of what experts call 'childcare deserts'—places where families simply cannot access affordable, reliable and quality care. The consequences are profound. Parents are turning down work opportunities, businesses are struggling to operate and families are being forced into impossible choices.

Take the story of Candy Taylor, from Narrogin. She is a research scientist with the CSIRO. Because she cannot secure a place at a local childcare centre, she now drives to Perth on Mondays and returns on Fridays so her daughter can attend care while she works. Other parents in the region have been told to drive to neighbouring towns, sometimes two hours of travel a day, just to access child care. In Kununurra, dozens of families were left without care for months after the town's main centre closed. We simply cannot ignore these red flags.

When child care becomes inaccessible, communities suffer, workforces shrink, young families leave and local economies weaken, and children miss out on early learning opportunities that help shape their development. We cannot talk about workforce participation, regional growth or gender equality while childcare deserts continue to expand. I thank ELACCA and the many early childhood educators and providers working on the ground to highlight this crisis. (Time expired)