Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. I note that this motion is substantially the same as the motion moved in May, to which the responsible minister for the Productivity Commission has already replied stating the government's position. We have already undertaken a significant recent inquiry through the Productivity Commission which reviewed the early childhood development workforce. While there is always room to improve childcare assistance, the government is not focused on reviews and inquiries; we are getting on with real investment, support and programs that will help families access child care and give more parents the opportunity to participate in the workforce.

Unlike the coalition and the Greens, we will not be calling a Productivity Commission review reporting after the election in order to avoid public scrutiny of our policies before the election. Australian families deserve to know what each party stands for, and our government stands for a record of $22.3 billion investment in early childhood education and care to make it more affordable, more accessible and the high quality that Australian children deserve.