David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before we entered lockdown in the ACT, back at the end of July, I had the chance to go down and do some work experience at Wonderschool Early Learning Centre in Conder. Armed with my Working with Vulnerable People card, I arrived ready for whatever was to be thrown at me. I was there to recognise Early Learning Matters Week and to gain a deeper understanding of the role our early educators play. From the detailed induction, the centre's morning song, the early morning flag-raising, the room leadership, some tough questions at morning tea and exploring the play area with the children, right through to a fresh-baked lunch—all were excellent. And, yes, I got my hands dirty!

It was great to see quality educators doing what they do well. We know that the first 1,000 days are critical in a child's development, and it's critical that we recognise the work that educators do with better support and remuneration. As an essential workforce, they should have priority access to vaccination, as should primary and secondary teachers and staff.

I really encourage my colleagues to engage with a local centre and spend time in the shoes of our highly competent early learning educators. Just like other work experience opportunities, such as the excellent ADF program, it's on the ground that you get a deeper understanding of the work.

Thank you to Ellen Robinson, the centre's educational leader and to its director, Heidi Clark; and thank you to Sarah Wilcox, the Wonderschool team operations manager for facilitating my visit. And thank you to all the staff and the wonderful children who taught me and made me feel so welcome.

The past few months have been a challenging time. We've watched anxiously as the number of cases in Sydney and New South Wales continued to rise exponentially. We've watched with frustration as the leaders of New South Wales refused to implement sensible measures in a timely manner, and we've watched as 'gold-standard Gladys' has morphed into 'Glad-wrap Gladys'. The reality is that, for a long while now, it's been a question of when, not if, delta would come to Canberra. The consequences had already devastated our tourism and accommodation industry without federal support. It's a reality born out of the irresponsibility in handling the New South Wales outbreak, from a desire to see political views triumph over sensible scientific advice.

But it would be wrong to blame the Premier and Deputy Premier alone, because, through this whole tragedy, they've been aided and abetted by the Prime Minister and his band of travelling COVID sceptics. We need to remember: the reason we're having lockdowns right now is that quarantine wasn't fixed. This current outbreak, throughout Australia and now New Zealand, arose from one limo driver taking a foreign aircrew—unvaccinated, without a mask—to hotel quarantine. Some months later, the whole of New South Wales is in lockdown, we in Canberra are in lockdown, and Melbourne and New Zealand now are also in lockdown.

The reason the consequences of that failure are so great, of course, is because of the failure on vaccines—the failure to get that supply that was needed earlier this year. The Prime Minister can crudely complain about the premiers and chief ministers all he wants, but they have continued to have one hand tied behind their back because of the government's failure on quarantine and the vaccine rollout. As Malcolm Turnbull said, 'I can't think of a bigger black and white failure of public administration than this.' Further to this failure, we've seen a series of irresponsible protests and marches, egged on by individuals such as the member for Dawson, with no genuine rebuke or condemnation of such irresponsibility. There's been a vacuum of leadership.

But, whilst one can't find that leadership upon the government benches, one need only step outside this building and into the community of Canberra to find some of the greatest displays of leadership. To the hundreds of trainee and retired nurses who answered the call when our health system was under pressure: I thank you. To our contact tracers and our Services Australia staff, including those who have moved from other jobs: I thank you. To the members of our community who have cooked meals for those isolating, out of their own pocket: I thank you. To all Canberrans who have followed the necessary lockdown requirements to protect themselves and the community, I thank you as well.

It's easy to be disheartened by looking at those who are supposed to be leading the country, but by taking a step back and looking at those who continue to support their communities through some of the toughest of circumstances we find the true Australian spirit. It is these Australians in our communities who will get us through this pandemic and they deserve to be recognised in this chamber.