Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate all the early childhood educators in this country, who have been campaigning for respect and recognition for their absolutely essential work in the Big Steps campaign: educators who have told their stories over and over again; who've spoken out about how they love their jobs, but just can't stay in them, earning just half the average wage; and who've told us how educators are leaving the sector in droves because love for their work doesn't pay for their bills. I congratulate those educators who've come to Canberra again and again and again, who've taken to the streets and who've stood up and spoken out. They stood up for themselves to advocate for a wage that reflects the skill, complexity and value in the work that they do, and stood up for the children that they are educating, who need to see the exodus of early educators from the sector stop. I congratulate all of you.

On Tuesday night in the budget the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, acknowledged you too. Our government has put the care economy front and centre. We want secure and well-paid jobs in early education and care. So the government has made provision for a well-deserved wage increase for early childhood educators. We know this will help bring more educators back to the sector, giving even more children the best start in life. Congratulations for advocating for yourselves. Congratulations, too, for advocating for the children in your care. You deserve a pay rise. Keep up the great work.