Emma McBride (Dobell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's now less than two weeks until the government's childcare subsidy changes begin—changes that will leave 279,000 Australian families worse off, changes that will leave 2½ thousand Central Coast families worse off, changes that will penalise families where parents aren't in secure, stable, full-time work or study. Childhood education peak bodies are concerned. Even the New South Wales Liberal government is worried that parents who fail the new activity test will be forced out of early childhood education altogether. The activity test misses the mark. Yes, child care is about providing care and education for children whose parents are working or studying. But it is so much more than that. Early childhood education is about all children, whatever family they grow up in—children with high needs, children in out-of-home care, children at risk.

I know a grandmother in her 70s who looks after her four grandchildren, all with high needs. She relies on child care to keep her family together, yet she is likely to have her subsidy cut. I know of a family with four foster children, all with high needs. They rely on child care to keep their family together, yet they are likely to have their subsidy cut too. This is not fair. All children deserve early childhood education. This government's approach, where some children are more deserving of early childhood education than other children, is just wrong. The single biggest thing we can provide to every child to give them the best start in life is early childhood education. This PM, who likes to present himself as a proud grandparent, is failing this test.