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

It is relatively simple for families to be able to make sure they can access the early childhood education and care that they need, that they desire. A four-hour per week activity test is, as I said before, a light touch. It can be met by working, by looking for work, by studying, by training or by volunteering. Volunteering activities could include attending your local childcare centre, preschool or early education centre and reading with children or working in the school canteen. They could include a range of different activities that ensure families are able to qualify just through a relatively straightforward commitment to activity. What we're trying to do here is make sure that there is quality support for early childhood education in preschool, in a strong safety net, but also to make sure that we motivate families to be engaged in all aspects of the education and care of their children and to target support to those families who need it most.