Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Government Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hughes for the question and for her passion and commitment to the childcare sector. Supporting the economic security of women is a key and enduring priority for the Morrison government. This is why we are addressing the barriers to women's workforce participation through record childcare funding. This funding sees $10.3 billion being spent this year, including $9 billion to subsidise the fees set by childcare services.

In 2018, the Morrison government overhauled the childcare system to introduce one childcare subsidy, offering more support for families with lower incomes who needed it and also basing hours of subsidised care on family activity. Three years on, Australian families remain the beneficiaries of this government's childcare policies. In this year's budget, we went further. We announced an additional $1.7 billion to further help Australian families with more than one child aged five or under in those years that are the toughest on the hip pocket for families. By increasing the subsidy for families with a second or third child aged five or under, 250,000 Australian families will be better off.

This support will assist second-income earners in a family, often women, who want to return to work and work additional hours. Women's workforce participation has reached a record high of 61.8 per cent under our government, and that is something that we are incredibly proud of. We continue to put in place measures to support women who choose to work or to work more hours in the workforce.