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

Thank you, Senator Stewart. I'm not surprised that you would be asking a question relating to these issues, given that they have a very personal touch on your family—and I know we've all come to love baby Ari on his regular appearances to parliament. Since taking office 12 months ago the Albanese Labor government has been working hard to support Australian families with cost-of-living pressures. That's why we're investing $4.5 billion over four years to make early childhood education and care more affordable for more families. From 1 July this year, for families earning $80,000 a year or less, we are increasing the childcare subsidy rate to 90 per cent. More broadly, we're increasing the subsidy rate for around 96 per cent of families, being those earning less than $530,000 each year with a child in care.

These changes will make early childhood education and care more affordable for around 1.2 million families across Australia, and this includes over a quarter of a million families in rural and regional Australia. So, we look forward to the support of the National Party, the self-proclaimed representatives of rural and regional Australia, when we see this support roll out into those regions. These changes will mean real cost-of-living relief in household budgets. For example, a family earning $120,000 a year with one child in early learning and care will save as much as $1,700 each year. So, the Albanese government is a strong supporter of supporting families in obtaining the child care they need and want and assisting them with the cost-of-living pressures they're experiencing.

That of course is in contrast with the coalition's record when it comes to child care and early childhood education. I think all of us remember the contribution from Senator Rennick when he gave his views on child care when he infamously said that Dorothy didn't tap her shoes together and say 'There's no place like child care'; she said. 'There's no place like home.'