Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move Greens amendments (1) to (10) on sheet 1739:

(1) Schedule 5, item 3, page 23 (line 19), omit "educator".

(2) Schedule 5, item 4, page 23 (line 24), omit "educator".

(3) Schedule 5, item 5, page 24 (line 2), omit "educator", substitute "individual".

(4) Schedule 5, item 5, page 24 (line 7), omit "educator".

(5) Schedule 5, item 5, page 24 (lines 12 to 14), omit ", as an educator (within the meaning of the Education and Care Services National Law)".

(6) Schedule 5, item 5, page 24 (line 18), omit "educator".

(7) Schedule 5, item 5, page 24 (line 23), omit "educator".

(8) Schedule 6, item 2, page 27 (line 23), omit "educator".

(9) Schedule 6, item 5, page 28 (line 9), omit "educator".

(10) Schedule 6, item 5, page 28 (line 14), omit "educator".

The bill as it's drafted allows providers to give educators employed in their centres a discount on their services. This discount is intended to assist in attracting and retaining educators. It does provide a little bit of that benefit, but it is completely inadequate for that purpose. We support this measure because it does provide support to educators, but, importantly, it is a bit unfair because it excludes many of the other staff at centres. We see no reason why other staff who are not educators but still work at early childhood education and care centres and do important work should not be included in this. These staff are necessary for the functioning of early childhood education and care centres and should not miss out on this discount.

For example, as noted by Goodstart Early Learning during the inquiry, centre cooks are also captured under the children's services award and excluding them creates inequity in a centre. Centre cooks play a crucial role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of children. They have the highest rates of attrition in centre staff. The government should, as a matter of fairness, provide them and other centre staff with access to discounted early childhood education and care services.

These amendments make the bill much more fair and more generous, by extending the permissible educator discount to all staff employed in early childhood education and care. I know that Senator David Pocock has amendments which extend this discount to cooks but not to other staff. I believe we should include all the staff who work at a centre and who are part and parcel of the functioning of our children's education. I urge senators to support these amendments.