Maxine McKew (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care) Share this | Hansard source

I also commend this motion moved by the Leader of the House tonight and indeed many of the comments made by the member for North Sydney. As he said, some things do take a very long time, and I am delighted that this proposal is being put before the House this evening. It is long overdue. When this building was first occupied in 1988 it opened with a gym, with dining facilities and with many other facilities for MPs and senators, but no child care. In fact, I remember when I was first in this building as a member of the gallery remarking on that. It was a live issue in the early nineties. And, as we have just heard, it goes way back with a long history.

Despite the prominence of women in the workforce today and their growing representation in government, a quick survey of other countries indicates that provision of childcare centres in parliaments still lags. Indeed, the Commonwealth parliament now has an opportunity to set an example both here and to assemblies elsewhere, internationally, by providing accessible, high-quality child care for the workplace within the parliament—for parliamentarians and, indeed, for other occupants of the building.

The location of this childcare service also sends a message, I think, about the importance for working women of having access to convenient onsite care. The provision of facilities for nursing mothers particularly highlights the need to assist women in meeting the needs of their young children while they are at work. A survey of Parliament House occupants in March 2008 found that of 221 respondents, 124 indicated their interest in using a childcare centre within Parliament House. A total of 16 children were indicated at that stage by members and senators as requiring some form of care. Ten members and senators indicated a requirement for care from January 2009. This is a welcome reflection of the increase in female participation in parliament as well as something that reflects the increase in the female workforce in the broader community.

Responsibility for the Parliament House childcare centre is a matter for the Department of Parliamentary Services and has been promoted through a joint House committee, with deliberations on this issue now spanning—wait for it—almost 16 years. It is wonderful that now something is happening. Through this motion, from January of next year Parliament House facilities can expand to include a childcare centre which will initially provide spaces for 22 infants and toddlers aged from six weeks to at least 18 months. It is a small start but a very welcome one. It is phase 1 of the provision of child care. Phase 2 will be to provide child care for children up to the age of five.

As the Leader of the House indicated, the former staff bar area is going to be refurbished for the childcare centre. I hope that does not send too many incorrect signals! In the design, the Department of Parliamentary Services is giving full consideration to the heritage values of this national iconic building. The preferred service provider, Anglicare, will manage places in the centre so as to accommodate the children of senators, members and non-Canberra based staff during sitting periods while providing year-round places to the children of Canberra based parliamentary staff and other building occupants.

This local change is being proposed in the midst of a broader agenda of change across the country. The Prime Minister has identified early childhood education as the starting point for the education revolution. The government has delivered on its election commitments by investing a total of $2.4 billion over the next five years on integrated early childhood initiatives that will provide high-quality services and deliver better educational opportunities and outcomes for Australian children. These initiatives are all about improving accessibility and affordability and, importantly, the quality of care and learning. It will be pleasing to see Parliament House showing leadership in this endeavour.

Our children’s early years of course are of the utmost importance. Parents, policymakers, business leaders and the general public increasingly recognise the importance of these years for promoting healthy physical, emotional, social and intellectual development and ensuring children are more successful in their school years. A major budget item this year has been the investment of $533.5 million, over five years, to provide all Australian children, including Indigenous children in remote communities, with access to affordable preschool programs delivered by a qualified teacher. By 2013, children will have access to 15 hours of early learning programs each week, for 40 weeks a year, in the year before formal schooling.

So the Australian government’s focus on quality early childhood education and care will now be seen within a few steps of this chamber. At last, after many years the need for child care at Parliament House is being acknowledged and met. My thanks to all those many, many members of parliament who over these 16 years have pursued this enterprise and who have not let it lie idle but kept at it and made this initiative happen.

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