Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Goldstein for raising this private members' business and allowing me to reflect on the important work that the Albanese Labor government is undertaking in the area of early childhood education and care. Our government is committed to recognising and harnessing the transformative benefits early childhood education provides for children and families across the country; the member for Goldstein has well articulated those.

The Australian government understands the early years of a child's life are crucial. This period lays the foundation for cognitive, social and emotional development. Investing in early childhood education is not just about the present; it's about shaping a better future. It's about providing every child with the opportunity to thrive, regardless of background or circumstance. That's why we are on the path to building a universal early childhood education and care system accessible for all families. It takes time, member for Goldstein, but we'll get there, I'm sure.

In pursuit of this aim, the Australian Labor government has already taken significant steps to make early childhood education and care more accessible for more Australian families. Our cheaper childcare reforms are testament to this commitment, making early childhood education more affordable for more than a million families. These reforms have reduced out-of-pocket costs for centre-based daycare by 11 per cent while preserving higher subsidies for families with multiple children in care. In total, these changes benefit more than a million families, including 265,000 families in regional Australia.

The Australian Labor government's commitment to the sector extends beyond affordability. We recognise the quality of early childhood education is intrinsically linked to the wellbeing of those who provide it. Early learning educators and teachers play a vital role both in the lives of our youngest Australians and in enabling millions of Australians, mostly women, to balance work and family life.

After just two years of Labor government, the early childhood education and care sector has grown by more than 30,000 workers. This is a direct result of our efforts to collaborate with the sector to develop practical solutions for staff retention and strengthen recruitment and training. The Australian Labor government has provided more university places for early childhood education teachers. We've introduced fee-free TAFE and supported pay increases totalling 14.85 per cent in just two years.

Just this month, the Australian Labor government delivered an historic achievement, a 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood workers, phased in over two years, starting in December this year. This increase, the largest ever for these essential workers, will significantly improve the livelihoods of our educators. For example, a typical educator will see a rise of at least $103 a week, increasing to $155 by December 2025. Early childhood teachers will see their pay increase by $166 a week, reaching $249 by the end of the two-year period. This will improve retention and recruitment and will better recognise the vital work early educators do. It represents a $3.56 billion commitment to our educators, with conditions ensuring funds are passed directly to workers through increased wages and with a limit of 4.4 per cent being put on providers, in terms of fee increases. That's important.

The Liberals dismiss this significant wage increase as a mere few dollars a week. These are the same people who said two years ago that a $1 rise in the minimum wage would wreck the economy. The fact is that, no matter what argument they mount, the Liberals always oppose pay rises for Australian workers. While I'm on the topic of the Liberals, it's got to be said that Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick has made claims that child care will 'destroy the family unit' and that it brainwashes children early with the 'woke mind virus'. I'm just absolutely appalled by these comments. I'm even more appalled by the fact that the opposition leader is standing by that senator with that. We knew that under the opposition leader, Mr Dutton, there would be a shift to the right. I don't think we anticipated the shift to the weird.

Before I go, I'd like to thank the United Workers Union in Tasmania, led by Amy Brumby and lead organiser Jo Murphy, for the incredible work they've been doing in representing early childhood care workers and fighting for fairer conditions for them. This wouldn't have happened without the incredible work they have done.

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