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

Thank you, Senator Green. I know this is a topic very dear to your heart, with baby Stevie now participating in early childhood education herself, and what a bright young woman she will turn out to be, I have no doubt. The Albanese government has made early learning a priority of our first year. We've done this because we know how important affordable early learning is. We know that for too many families the cost of early learning has put it out of reach. Unfortunately, under the Liberals and Nationals, out-of-pocket costs for early learning went up by 49 per cent, and that is not helping cost-of-living pressures, I don't think—is it? We, on the other hand, are taking action to ease cost-of-living pressures on Australian families by making early learning more affordable. From July our changes to the childcare subsidy will boost the maximum subsidy rate to 90 per cent for families earning $80,000 or less.

Gerard, we know you don't like child care, and we know what you have said about Dorothy and child care and things like that.