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

I rise today in support of this legislation, the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025. Like the member for Bendigo, I was here when the former Liberal government removed universal access and implemented their terrible activity test. And, like the member for Bendigo, I will be incredibly disappointed if and when those opposite do as they say they're going to do and oppose the measures in this bill. I understand the power of education.

I understand how important it is for us to get to universal education and I understand how important this three-day guarantee is for families, and, not just for families, I know how important this three-day guarantee is for our youngest Australians across our country. Being an educator, I understand that sometimes children come from chaotic homes and I understand the power of them having a safe place, a calm environment, that allows them to learn to socialise and prepares them for more education. I understand that for children who are coming from spaces where they feel threatened all the time because of noise, because of chaos, because people are under pressure, that three-day access to early education and child care could set that child up on a different path than the one they would have if this measure did not exist. It really is that simple.

I remember the families who came to see me when the activity test was brought in who were sad that their child was excluded from early education, from that calm environment, from that learning, from that opportunity to socialise with other children, from the preparation that was going to set them up for life. We know, everyone in this place knows—the research has been in for decades—how important early education is. We know it can be the difference between success and failure for children. We know it can be the difference between success and failure for us as a society, so why on earth would we not create a system where our most vulnerable children have universal access as a right, access to learning as early as we can give it to them? Why on earth would we not do that? That is why I stand absolutely and firmly supportive of this bill, and that is why I reject the arguments of those opposite, who so often in this place argue, 'Well, if I can't have the nice things, no-one can.' Put simply, that what they are arguing. They want to suggest that this is about terrible mothers who are off to Pilates. For goodness sake, what year is it? Where are you from? What year is it? Why does it have to be about, 'Well, we only pay for this. Families need it, but only if women are working.' This is not about women; this is about families and this is about children.

This measure is specifically about creating access for vulnerable children from vulnerable homes to ensure that they are getting the early education they need. I have taught in low socioeconomic areas and kids at risk my whole professional life, and, I can tell you, the first thing I as a principal told new teachers in my school was, 'You might find you have some kids in your classroom that are a little bit disruptive. Let me give you a tip: don't raise your voice, because the chances are they hear that all the time and it does not have any impact. Do you know what you do? You lower your voice and you drop to your knees so you can look the child in the eye and be that comforting adult.' That is what happens in early education and child care for kids who need to know that they are safe in the world. I can't tell you the difference this could make to some of the children in my community's lives.

I support this measure. I can't believe those opposite will not support this measure. I could not believe that when they ripped it away from families in my electorate when we came in in in 2013. I can't believe they are going to argue against it now. I can't believe the National Party members can come in here and argue against it. Seriously, if I think about families doing it tough in the regions and the pressures they might be under, and the littlest Australians are in that kitchen when the bills that can't be paid come in and are stuck on the fridge, or pushed to the back of the bridge to be forgotten, and the chaos begins because the pressure is on, because the stresses are on. If you add alcoholism and drug abuse into that family, that child needs this measure. They need to be in a calm environment for some part of their day, and their parents do too.

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