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

The childcare reforms aren't just about childcare; they're also about ensuring continued support for quality early childhood education. The minister's rules that have been tabled to give effect to the operation of our new childcare system ensure continued support for Australian families who access preschool services through the childcare system. Parents with a child in the year before formal school, usually four years of age, who access preschool for 15 hours in long day care will not need to meet the activity test that we have put in place. They will have a clear exemption enabling them to access childcare subsidies to support the quality early education of their children in a preschool setting via long day care services. This is, importantly, in addition to our continued funding and support for the universal access agreement, providing preschool services for all children across Australia and making sure they can access quality early childhood education.