Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. As I have already remarked to the House, and as the minister has also explained to the House, the childcare subsidy program that was put in place by this government, that was changed by this government from that which we'd inherited under the previous Labor government that saw childcare costs increase by 50 per cent, resulted in more women in the workforce and the gender pay gap reducing to its lowest level. That's what occurred as a result of the changes that we made to child care that ensured that childcare costs, out-of-pocket expenses, fell by over three per cent after the design changes went in—that's what they were designed to do—means tested to ensure that those who needed them most—those on lower incomes and those who were disadvantaged in other ways—would get 85 per cent rebates back, and there would be no more limits on those who were on those low to middle incomes, up to a combined household income of around $350,000. That's what our program is delivering. Our program is targeted and designed to support women in particular get back into work and to be able to earn more, and that's what the facts demonstrate.

But the other thing that has been helping not only women in the workplace but men as well is the fact that, under our government, they pay less tax. Under our government, the more they earn, we're not penalising them. We're allowing Australians to keep more of what they earn. We took that to the last election. The Australian people endorsed it. They endorsed the fact that those earning $45,000 should not pay any more than 30c in the dollar in tax, and we brought that into this place and we legislated it, and now we know the Labor Party want to claw it back off of them. They are not being upfront with the Australian people about this. What you know is: when you hear—

See this speech in context