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

I thank Senator Ruston for the supplementary. What we are doing is what any sensible and prudent government would do and that is to increase our active compliance of the JET program, which is part of our broader approach to stronger childcare compliance and stronger program guidelines, because the slipping standards and the lack of action under Labor is what actually caused this problem.

The program is designed to provide child care for parents on income support who are studying or training so they can get a job. It is very important to greater workforce participation, so our increased active compliance checks and monitoring are going to be bolstered by the budget measure for this particular assistance, which is limiting JET claims to 36 hours per week for study activities; introducing a maximum limit of $8 per child per hour childcare claimed under the JET program once the CCB is factored in, which is about a total of $13 per hour per child; and funding stronger proactive compliance activity— (Time expired)