Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Much has been said about the transition of budget-based services in particular under this package. Senator Smith, Senator McKenzie—many of my colleagues and others, in this chamber and in the other place, have been strong advocates for regional and rural services in particular, and making sure that they are protected. There are around 300 of these so-called budget-based funded services providing early education and care, particularly in remote and rural Australia or for Indigenous children. The current model is a capped and closed funded program, but for the first time under our reforms these services will be able to access the new childcare subsidy, as well as the new additional childcare subsidy, whilst we are also guaranteeing continued budget funding for them of equal amount. This means these valuable services in rural and regional Australia and in Indigenous communities can be nothing but better off as a result of the Turnbull government's reforms, providing important early education opportunities in some of the most remote and vulnerable areas of Australia.