Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Thorpe, for moving these amendments together. Unfortunately, though, the government will not be agreeing to any of the three amendments. For sheet 3100, which is about guidelines, as Senator Thorpe is probably aware, it is common practice for grant eligibility criteria to be left to non-legislative guidance when establishing a special account to fund grants. The eligibility criteria for this payment are set out in the Early Childhood Education and Care Worker Retention Payment Grant Opportunity Guidelines, in accordance with the Commonwealth grants policy framework. The criteria have also been added as an addendum to the explanatory memorandum to the bill. This approach gives the government the necessary flexibility to adjust eligibility if required, as the grant guidelines can be rapidly amended to respond to changing conditions and sector feedback.

For the amendment on sheet 3112 regarding upfront cash flow payments, again, the government will not be agreeing to this amendment. However, the senator raises an important matter, and steps have been taken to address cash flow concerns at the commencement of the grant period. In some circumstances, providers can receive an advanced payment in December. The government will also front-load funding in the first three-monthly grant payments to help centre based day care services that have viability concerns. These arrangements are reflected in the grant opportunity guidelines, along with all the other eligibility and payment details.

The government will also not be agreeing to the amendment on sheet 3147 regarding approved providers. Providers have to meet certain criteria to be approved to operate an early childhood education and care service in Australia. The eligibility criteria to become an approved provider of ECEC are necessarily rigorous to ensure the integrity of the ECEC system. That's why those same requirements are also being applied to grants made under the wage justice bill. There are many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations that are approved providers of early childhood education and care, and, of course, the Albanese government is investing $3.6 billion in funding a 15 per cent wage increase for ECEC workers. Limiting grant eligibility to approved providers ensures the integrity of the program.