Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Can I first finish what I was going to say about early childhood education workers? I said a typical educator paid at the award rate will receive a pay rise of at least $103 per week. The wage increase will be tied to a commitment from centres to limit fee increases—a very important condition that will keep downward pressure on fees for families. Unlike Mr Dutton's team, including Senator Rennick, those of us on this side of the chamber understand the value of early childhood education and care, and, I would venture to say, so does the Australian community. When it comes to cost-of-living relief, what we know is that the Liberals and Nationals oppose it at every chance they get. They voted 48 times against industrial relations laws to get wages moving and six times in the Senate to stop cheaper medicine. On cheaper child care, Senator Hume said, 'It's certainly not the policy that we would have introduced.' They voted against energy price relief, social housing and fee-free TAFE. I think we know what they're like. (Time expired)