Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, President, and thank you, Senator Faruqi. Senator Wong, of course, is correct. If you go back and look at the question that was asked, it was about tax cuts; but I'm certainly happy to talk about early childhood educators—a group in our community who I very much value. Everyone on this side of the chamber very much value them. It's particularly appropriate that we talk about these issues today because today is of course Early Childhood Educators' Day. That's why, not long after question time, I and, no doubt, many of my colleagues here will be going to meet with early childhood educators on the front lawns of the parliament. I would certainly encourage every member of parliament to do the same thing.

Labor has long recognised the problems regarding the low pay of early childhood educators. I certainly know that from personal experience in terms of my children and the early childhood education they received. I've actually spent time in early childhood centres with educators, observing the work that they do, which is incredibly demanding and incredibly valuable—that's why they do deserve a pay rise. That's exactly why our government is committed to reinvigorating bargaining so that we can improve productivity but also grow wages, particularly in sectors like early childhood.

That's why our government has successfully argued for a pay rise for the lowest-paid workers in Australia—a pay rise, I might admit and acknowledge, that those opposite opposed. On 1 July this year, the Fair Work Commission minimum rates order increased pay rates in modern awards, including the Children's Services Award, by 4.6 per cent. That's something our government called for in a submission: a pay rise for the lowest-paid workers in our community, including early childhood educators. We know the work of women has long been undervalued, and that is definitely the case for the early childhood education and care sector, where more than 90 per cent of the workforce are women, and we will keep acting on this. (Time expired)