Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education. Given that the minister said yesterday that every dollar in the childcare system is up for review and, yes, the rebate is on the table, will the minister guarantee that no family will be worse off or have their childcare assistance cut as a result of this review?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is an interesting point of view for the opposition minister to put: that as a result of a review families might be worse off. What a review does, let me remind the House, is to go out and in this case it is broad-ranging—it seeks everybody's opinion. In our case, we are actually asking parents what they want the system to do for them, not telling them. What that review does is bring information to government that then makes informed policy decisions and choices. How can a review possibly make a difference to payments? I noted the slightly hysterical words of the opposition minister during her doorstop yesterday, and I would like to reiterate that the Productivity Commission will consider how the childcare system can be made more flexible, more affordable and accessible. There is nobody better to look at it than the PC, and in fact it has been welcomed from all sides. Our friends from United Voice have put out a media release today saying how pleased they are that the Productivity Commission is doing this work, Shadow Minister. It is the first public examination of the childcare system for 20 years. When you consider, Madam Speaker, the appalling record of the opposition when in government with 44 per cent hikes in child care, parents unable to afford to have their children looked after and educated while they went to work. We have, Shadow Minister, no plans to index the childcare rebate. We have no plans to index the childcare rebate.