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

Be careful what you wish for, Senator Sterle! It is obvious to everybody that across the sector there is very broad support for the nationwide standards of excellence and improved recognition for the crucial role the sector plays in developing our youngest Australians. But you cannot take on reform like the National Quality Framework, the NQF, and not back it up. You have to have solid and complementary policies. You have to recognise the issues that are facing the industry today, and you have to take it to where it needs to be tomorrow.

When you misspend government funds, like those opposite were so expert at doing, it means that parents and childcare centres have to come up with the difference. Surprise, surprise, that drives up costs for families. In fact, under the previous government, the chamber might be interested to know that across the country childcare fees went up by 50 per cent during Labor's six years in office. For some people, that was around $70 a week. That put child care out of reach of very many young families. It impacts on our productivity. (Time expired)