Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

The government is committed to improving transparency in the sector. Large early childhood education providers will be required to report financial information, including profit and revenue, which will be published online. During the committee's inquiry, this approach was described by some stakeholders as essential and completely reasonable. Large providers account for over a third of the early childhood education and care sector, but the government is conscious of the need to balance increasing transparency with the regulatory burden, particularly that which is imposed on small businesses.

Separate to the bill, work is underway to further enhance the Starting Blocks website to ensure it is a reliable one-stop shop for families seeking information about their early childhood and education care options. We believe we have the appropriate transparency mechanisms in place and don't support the amendments put forward by Senator Faruqi and the Greens.

The CHAIR: The question before the committee is that amendments (1) to (8) on sheet 1720, moved by Senator Faruqi by leave of the committee, should be agreed to.