Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition might laugh. You have got to keep your eye on unemployment rates. They go down so quickly. I think they slipped down to 4.4 per cent today—plenty of jobs out there now. We are going to make sure that when you enter the workforce you have good child care. There is $1.1 billion in child care to deliver more financial assistance, extra places for children, high support needs and services operating in rural and regional Australia. The childcare tax rebate for families has been brought forward, so now it will be paid after the end of the financial year in which parents pay for their child care. On 1 July parents will gain further relief from childcare costs, with $729.9 million over four years, a greater than 13 per cent increase in child care. That is right, Mr President: an increase of over $1,000 per child per year. Families and parents around the country are so relieved that they can continue to enter the workforce and continue to make a contribution to our wonderful economy. In addition, we will be committing $43.8 million to ensure there is viable child care in those areas.