Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

Let me just say that again: there are 1,348 childcare centres in the entire state, and only 26 in line to receive EYQF funding. It has every hallmark of every Labor initiative—poorly planned; poorly executed. So, after we came to government, PricewaterhouseCoopers undertook an independent review of the EYQF. They found that it was never going to achieve its objectives. Quite simply, it was a tool for United Voice. Now, there is a surprise—a tool for the trade union movement! There were claims of inappropriate behaviour by United Voice, including things like staff in centres being told by union reps that unless they joined the union they would not get EYQF funding, and they would be letting down everyone else at their centre—that is the way they work in the childcare sector. The Auditor-General has extensive and appropriate powers. He can access documents and information which were not available to the PwC review, and I look forward to the tabling of that report in the spring session. (Time expired)