Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I have not read the article that the member refers to. Of course, any lack of clarity that might arise from the coalition's Jobs for Families childcare package—which of course includes both the new expenditure to increase the subsidies for child care but also, as the member points out, the savings measures which revolve around both the FTB(B) changes and the eligibility criteria for the state run, government run, system of paid parental leave—with respect to those proposals does not arise from the nature of the proposals, or the way in which the proposals are described, formatted or legislated. That is entirely clear. Of course, uncertainty, very unfortunately, will arise because the position of members opposite is, it appears, to not support those changes, which would give very significant increases to subsidy for those seeking child care. Maybe it is something that members opposite need to discuss with the relevant unions that they have close contact with, but there is no lack of clarity in what is being proposed. If there is any, you could try to point it out, but I think that the drafting is very tight. Of course, clarity may be an issue because of the fact that the legislation is going to meet, it appears, some opposition from Labor.

See this speech in context