Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth, Senator Arbib. Is the government aware that, as a result of its decision to rush ahead with changes to child care under the National Quality Framework and as a result of ignoring the increasing cost that this will impose on parents and childcare operators, a childcare centre in Box Hill South in my state of Victoria is now going to be forced to scrap all its places for three-year-olds unless it can foot a massive bill of $1 million in capital costs just to comply with the new regulations? Given this, what is the government doing to stop more childcare centres shutting their doors and leaving parents without any place to look after their children?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable senator for that question on a very important issue. The Rudd government is very proud of the agenda it has pursued on child care and also childhood development since taking office. We are very proud of the agenda we have undertaken. Given the absolute neglect—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister, just resume your seat. Senator Conroy, you will need to withdraw that.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr President.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the absolute neglect of the Liberal Party on child care, we are investing a record $14.4 billion in childcare benefit and childcare rebate to help Australian families. That is $8 billion more than was provided under the Howard government. It is not just about more funding but also about improving the standards and quality of childcare services provided.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Bernardi, constant interjection is totally disorderly. Senator Conroy, responding to interjections is equally disorderly.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When we have silence we will proceed.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. So the government is undertaking a very ambitious reform to the quality of child care. I do not have any information on the childcare centre that the senator has raised, but I am happy to seek out that information and try to provide it to him. The government has undertaken independent economic modelling and found that the average out-of-pocket cost increases for a family on $80,000 would be 57c per week in 2010-11 rising to $8.67 per week by 2014-15 for one child to attend full time a long day care centre. The future of our children is absolutely critical and we make absolutely no apology for improving the quality of services to parents, the quality of teaching in those childcare centres and the quality of vocational education to childcare providers. That is what the government is undertaking. The previous Howard government neglected the sector, neglected child care. (Time expired)

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question. Given the findings by Access Economics that childcare costs for parents under the National Quality Framework may increase by up to $12 a day per child, and given that for a family with two children this increase of $120 per week is not something that the average Australian family can afford, what plans does the government have in place to compensate families for the additional costs of child care to ensure they are not forced out of the workforce and their children out of an early learning opportunity?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In terms of the cost of the reforms to parents, I think I have gone through the independent economic modelling showing 57c per week in 2010-11 and $8.67 in 2014-15; but, as Senator Wong has just said, we should never forget that it was the Rudd government that increased the childcare rebate from 30 per cent to 50 per cent. That was a commitment that was given prior to the last election and it was a commitment that the government stuck to and delivered for Australian families. What is the record of the opposition—the Liberal Party and the National Party—on child care? Absolute neglect. On their watch, ABC Learning, improper regulation—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Resume, Senator Arbib.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They left child care to the marketplace. There was improper regulation. On their watch there was the collapse of ABC Learning. This government has acted. We have kept our commitment—30 per cent to 50 per cent.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Shouting is disorderly on both sides. Senator Arbib, continue.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am finished.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question. Why is the government slashing the childcare rebate and putting mums and dads out of pocket by an extra $278 per child per year just to save a few dollars but is willing to splurge $202 million on accommodation for babysitting asylum seekers?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When there is silence we will proceed.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Through you, Mr President, I say to Senator Fielding: I have a lot of time for you, Senator Fielding, but I have to say that, on that question, you have completely missed the mark. This government has delivered on its commitment to increase the rebate from 30 per cent to 50 per cent. In terms of the change in the budget, the vast majority of Australian families—some 97 per cent—will not be affected by the change arising out of the budget. We are extremely proud of the work that this government has done in terms of child care and childhood development. It took the Rudd government to put childhood development on the map. The Rudd government put lifelong learning on the map.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG and Modernising the Federation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And 260 broken promises.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payne can shout and whinge and whine, but she knows that it is a fact that the Liberal Party absolutely neglected child care, neglected the cost of—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! This shouting across the chamber, as I have drawn to senators’ attention, does not assist in the conduct. It is completely disorderly. Senator Arbib, continue.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, do not let me judge this; I will let the Australian people judge it. They threw those opposite out of office. (Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.