Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aged Care, Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

I will not labour the point but I have to say this sounds a lot like policy on the run. We asked that direct question in the Senate inquiry. We asked what the definition was of an unused place and the department was very vague. It had not been identified as yet. ‘It is more like six months.’ What sort of an indication is that to the sector? How long are you waiting for something to occur? This is not an arbitrary thing we can make up on the run. Let us be really clear about what the definition of an unused place is so that family day care providers in particular know what is going on. Is it six months, Minister? If it is, tell us. Is it six months in a regional place and two months in a city? What are the rules that we in this parliament are adopting today? It is unfair to family day care providers that we just pass this bit of legislation and will make it up later. I think it is only fair that we know what we are passing here today.