Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Quality early childhood education and care is a hallmark of a Labor government. The previous Labor government took to this place legislation to ensure quality early education and care, setting milestones for early education and setting targets for the training of the professionals who were going to work in the sector. When I came to this place, of course, we were in opposition, and for nine long years I watched as the dream of quality childhood education and care went down the gurgler, while those now opposite twiddled their thumbs and watched it do so. The costs were great, but the costs were greatest to families in electorates like mine, where the majority are young families with children who need to access this and where the majority are double-income families trying to make incomes meet, with both parents working.

From opposition we watched those who worked in the sector during the pandemic, when they were hailed as heroes. They were part of the essential workforce that kept us safe. It was in those dark moments, when early educators were being asked to show up to work to look after the children of essential workers, when everybody wanted to be out first to thank them for their service, that very serious conversations began again inside the Labor Party about the care economy—about its value, about the investment that was going to be required, about the feminised workforces, again, and about how far behind we were in the gender pay gap.

I spent my life working in a feminised workforce called education. I spent my life working in schools. I spent my life working alongside, predominantly, other women—women who often felt that their work was not valued. So I completely understand how those working in the early education and care sector (a) felt during the pandemic but (b) feel generally.

This legislation, the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) Bill 2024, is from the conversations that we had in the dark days of the pandemic about gender equity and how we could create equity in the care economy. It is from the conversations we had about the power of change in this space to drive economic change and how making early education and care affordable for families could mean women, predominantly, working two extra days a week and what that would do in terms of boosting our productivity. So we know that what we're putting before the parliament today is good for the economy and it's good for families, but, most importantly, it's good for the women who work in this sector. It is part of this government's driving agenda, which now sees the gender pay gap at the lowest it's ever been, around 11 per cent. There's still work to be done, but this piece is a seminal piece. The early education and care sector is the backbone of our nation. The people who work in it should be valued by our nation. Parents across our country rely on their passion and commitment to create a strong foundation for our smallest Australians.

I fully support the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) Bill 2024 because I've seen firsthand the contributions they have made, and continue to make, to our society. I saw that as a mother when I dropped my children, when they were toddlers, off to early education so that I could be part of our economy and our education system and make my contribution to this society. This legislation will help address significant workforce shortages that we're also seeing, because it supports the delivery of a much-needed wage increase of 15 per cent for eligible workers across two years. It's a wage increase that is long overdue for some of our hardest workers in this heavily feminised workforce, a wage increase that was needed but ignored by those opposite for such a long time. In fact, it was more than ignored. They openly said it would be a bad thing for the Australian economy if women were paid more to do their work. This bill is a step forward for the sector, for our nation and for our nation's women. It sends a strong message that without their work, their support and their care our nation would lack the contributions of so many.

Across my electorate, one of the youngest electorates in the country and one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, I've spent a fair bit of time recently visiting our local childcare centres. I've enjoyed friendly conversations with staff at Goodstart Early Learning Tarneit. I've cuddled little ones before nap time at Goodstart Werribee. I've talked about the demand for quality early childhood educators at Child's Play Early Learning Centre in Wyndham Vale. I've met children who could already spell out their names at Goodstart Heaths Road. I've spoken to staff about their incentives to stay in the sector at Goodstart in Morris Road. I've witnessed incredible staff diversity at Goodstart Deloraine Drive and across these early education facilities in my electorate. I've spoken to students on rounds in these centres across the last few weeks. The one common factor I found amongst all of these centres and amongst all of these children was the quality staff and how much they cared, not just in a nurturing way but about the development of the children they cared for. They cared about their job and they cared about the children they looked after, their future and their development.

I've heard stories about the demand for experienced staff in centres and the pressure workers are under. We want to ensure that our workers are adequately rewarded for the tireless work they do and the contributions they make. We want to say more than thanks. We want to say, 'You are valued.' We want to say: 'We see your work. We value your work. Our country can't run without your work.' Decent wages are not just critical to reversing attrition and growing the workforce; they demonstrate that this Labor government cares, like the educators do. Workers simply don't stay where they aren't valued. We've seen delays to expansion plans, the closure of rooms and limitations on enrolments because centres are struggling to retain quality staff. The struggle this sector is facing needs to end and this is part of the solution to that.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Aspire childcare centre in Manor Lakes for Early Learning Matters Week. We read a story together, had a lovely morning tea and created some beautiful artwork to commemorate the week. The meaning behind Early Learning Matters Week could not have been clearer. Having spent time in secondary schools as both a teacher and a principal, I know that childcare centres are fundamental to not only a child's development in their early years but how that shapes their future years. We need to do the right thing by Australia's future generations by enhancing the early education workforce so they can put their best foot forward. This piece of legislation is part of that. It will give a 15 per cent pay rise across two years and cap what the centres can increase their charges by at 4.4 per cent. The significance of the Albanese Labor government's changes to the sector is that not only will they benefit the educators and the workforce but they will allow parents to have confidence in their children's future and wellbeing. I remember the reality of relying on those same educators to provide my own children with the care and support needed. I know how vital childcare services are to all Australian families.

A factor of this legislation that we must not overlook is that it will also provide cost-of-living relief for the parents and guardians of our nation's youngest. It establishes terms and conditions which are inclusive of a limitation on the fee increase. As I said, centres will be prohibited from increasing fees by a set amount, with that amount being set at 4.4 per cent until August 2025. It will put downward pressure on fees and help to make child care more affordable for the families in my electorate. It is a measure I know many in my community appreciate, because they have already said so in communications to me. Families should not have to choose between going back to work and ensuring their children are well looked after, and this legislation is a part of ensuring they don't.

As is common in the care sector, the early childhood education and care workforce is over 90 per cent women. For too long, previous governments have undervalued the work of this sector, despite this being a service that even those opposite have had to rely on. The announcement of this pay rise is grounds for celebration, and it was certainly being celebrated in the childcare centres that I visited. It is recognition that this sector is more than just—as the outrageous claim goes—a child-minding service.

My good friend Jo Briskey has been an incredible asset to the early education sector through her work in the union. I recently met with her to chat about this win for childcare workers. Jo has been a strong advocate for the sector for as long as I can remember. The legislation is a result of the impacts and importance of her work and the work of many others in being available and reliable and in bringing people forward to have the very important conversations with members of the government to ensure that we all support this action. Through organisations such as The Parenthood and the United Workers Union, Jo has made an impact, and I'm sure, at home, she's very proud that this legislation is being debated in the House today. I wish her well as the Labor Party candidate for the seat of Maribyrnong in the upcoming election.

The wage justice bill is good for workers, good for parents and, most importantly, good for children. It charts a course to universal access to early childhood education and care. It puts children first and ensures they are receiving the highest quality care, because they are our future. This legislation is part of a better future for all Australians.

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