Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

I rise today to read the Early Years Quality Fund Special Account Bill 2013 for the second time.

Commitment to early childhood

This Government has a proud record of achievement in early childhood education and care.

Core to our values is giving every child an opportunity to succeed and we have consistently demonstrated throughout the last six years, our commitment to improving the outcomes for all Australian children.

With more Australian children in education and care than ever before and a compelling body of evidence showing that 90 per cent of a child's brain development happens in these critical years, we want to give our children the best start in life.

Australian and international research shows that having educators with higher qualifications is closely associated with improved outcomes for children. More highly qualified staff means a greater understanding of early childhood development so staff are more able to lead activities that inspire youngsters and help them learn and develop.

This Bill acknowledges that commitment by securing for these educators the necessary recognition of their professionalism and to reward them accordingly with higher wages.

At the heart of this Bill is this Government's commitment to quality early childhood education, a commitment to early childhood education that is accessible and affordable and a commitment to having a highly qualified early childhood workforce.

Quality

The Government's commitment to quality early childhood education is evidenced by our leadership in establishing the National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care.

The National Quality Framework is an important reform which delivers a higher standard of care for children in the critical areas of educational development, health and safety and social interactions. It provides clear and comprehensive information for families so they can make informed choices about which service is best for their child.

The National Quality Standard improves quality through improved educator-to-child ratios, stronger educator qualification requirements and a new quality rating system.

Quality early childhood education and care ensures that children are happy, engaged and learning with qualified educators who are nurturing and caring. It means children are in safe and stimulating learning environments. When parents drop off their children, they need to do so with confidence that their child will be cared for and educated in the best way possible.

We have recently seen the first ratings published on the website giving parents more information to help them chose the service that meets their needs.

The NQF is a fundamental and long lasting reform. Ensuring improved quality of early childhood education and care will produce long term improved productivity and economic prosperity for Australia.

The Early Years Quality Fund will support the implementation of the NQF by assisting providers to offer educators higher wages consistent with changes in staff to child ratios and the increased qualification requirements of the NQF.

Affordability and Accessibility

This Government has been working hard to ensure that quality early childhood education and care remains affordable and accessible for all Australians families.

Over the next four years the Government will invest a record $25 billion in early childhood education and care, of which $22.1 billion will be in direct child care assistance to parents, more than triple the investment in the four years prior to 2007, making improvements to the lives of children and families.

But we know that affordability is only part of the story and that accessibility to quality services is critical.

We have recognised that early childhood education and care is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour.

We understand that services must be more responsive to the varying needs of families. That's why Child Care Rebate and Child Care Benefit can be used for a range of flexible approved child care services.

The Australian Government is trialling new ways to make child care more flexible for families, such as extending opening hours in long day care centres.

Our commitment to accessible quality early childhood education and care is also evidenced by the Government's investment of nearly $970 million between 2008 and 2013 to provide all children in the year before school access to a quality pre-school education delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher.

Recent data shows that because of this investment 266,000 four and five year old children were enrolled in a program in the year before full-time school in 2012. This is 60,000 more children enrolled in 2012 than in 2008

In this year's budget, the Government announced a further $660 million to extend the universal access commitment to quality early childhood education in the year before school to the end of 2014.

This brings the total funding to over $1.6 billion to area that was neglected prior to 2007.

It is with pride that I can also say that the early childhood education and care Closing the Gap target will be met this year. In 2008 we pledged to deliver access to early childhood education to all indigenous four-year-olds in remote communities within five years.

This year, 2013, we will meet that target. I am proud to be a part of a Government that not only set ambitious long term goals, but provided the funding and leadership to achieve that goal.

Quality Workforce

Every day thousands of committed and dedicated early childhood professionals help to prepare Australian children for the world around them, providing a nurturing, caring and supporting environment. An environment where every child gets the opportunity to learn, grow and develop at their own pace, with people interested only in helping them be the best they can be.

We know these critical early years mean so much to a child's future learning and we owe it to both the children and families using early childhood education and those that educate and care for them to do all that we can to recognise and reward the important work that they do.

With over 615,000 children in long day care in Australia to the September quarter of last year the benefit to the community is enormous.

And, in addition to the critical work educating children, educators are crucial in upholding the economic stability of the country through increased workforce participation and greater security of employment, especially for women.

I am proud of this Government's record in assisting the early childhood workforce, through programs such as:

Early Years Quality Fund

In bringing this Bill here today, the Government continues this record of achievement in early childhood through securing a professional workforce that will ensure higher quality education and care for Australian children.

To complement the vital work that this Government has done to improve accessibility, affordability and quality of early childhood education and care, this Bill establishes a $300 million Early Years Quality Fund to support quality outcomes for children by assisting the early childhood services to attract and retain qualified hard working professionals in the sector and reduce the numbers of educators leaving the sector overall.

The Fund, which will operate for two years, will enable grants to be paid services to supplement wage increases of all educators and staff assisting in the provision of quality early childhood education and care.

The fund will ensure higher wages across all classification scales, providing an incentive for educators to further their careers by attaining higher qualifications.

This Bill will be the difference between some of the best and brightest in the sector staying in their vitally important profession, or leaving for higher wages in sectors such as retail or administration.

The Early Years Quality Fund will assist with maintaining the affordability of early childhood education, along with the Government's substantial financial assistance to families through Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate, while ensuring the high quality of education and care for children.

All Long Day Care centres approved for Child Care Benefit can apply for the funding. Eligible services must demonstrate a commitment to improve quality outcomes for children, including workforce plans to attract and retain qualified staff.

But we know that this Fund is the first step in the increased professional recognition of the early childhood education and care workers. That is why, the Government also announced the establishment of the Pay Equity Unit in the Fair Work Commission

The Pay Equity Unit will undertake research and data collection to inform matters related to pay equity under the Fair Work Act, modern award reviews and annual minimum wage decisions.

The Early Years Quality Fund and the Pay Equity Unit build on the record of achievement in the Social and Community Services and the Aged Care sectors. The Government has achieved significant outcomes with respect to pay equity, but is committed to do more to close the gender gap and assist workers in low paid sectors, who are usually women, to improve wages and gain the professional recognition they deserve.

The Early Years Quality Fund will give a much needed wage increase to our professional, hard-working qualified early childhood educators, ensuring that they not only feel valued, but that their value to the Australian community is reflected in their pay checks.

The Fund continues the Government's commitment to economic growth and jobs, supporting parents to remain in the workforce, increasing skills across the workforce and building a productive future for our children.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Early Years Quality Fund Special Account Bill 2013. I have to say, those on the other side must be exceptionally happy that (a) we are already at three minutes past 2.30 pm and (b) the guillotine falls on this bill at 2.45 pm today. And why do I say that? I say it because there are some bills that have been rushed through this place so quickly that the Australian public will not know what the details of the bills are. In relation to this bill, there is no way those on the other side and their grubby little friends in their alliance, the Greens—and we have just seen the Greens' grubbiness and hypocrisy on show in this place in relation to the motion that was just before the Senate—

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, a point of order: I refer you to the rules of debate, and particularly to standing order 193, and ask that Senator Cash withdraw reference to 'grubbiness' in relation to other senators, because that is clearly a personal reflection on members or officers of this house.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, it would assist if you were prepared to withdraw that.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely, Mr Deputy President. I withdraw the statement in relation to grubbiness. But I will say that they are hypocrites. By their very actions in accepting the largest political donation of all time—the $1.6 million that they accepted from Mr Graeme Wood—they are well and truly able to be described as hypocrites. In fact, some may say, in relation to those people who speak with forked tongue and stand up in this place and say one thing and then do another, that those actions are grubby little actions.

But in relation to this particular bill, which the Greens are joining with Labor today to support, this is probably one of the greatest travesties of justice that is ever to go through this place. By this bill, Labor and their little friends the Greens are throwing a few crumbs at the lowest-paid workers in Australia and they are acting as if those few crumbs are gold. When you read the details of this legislation, it becomes apparent that the Early Years Quality Fund Special Account Bill is nothing more and nothing less than a con.

The United Voice union was having trouble signing up members, so what did it do? It went to its union mates in the government and said, 'We need some money', and a deal was done to give United Voice what is in effect $300 million, which they will have access to through this fund. And then what did United Voice do? They went on a membership drive, and do you know what they said? They blatantly misled the lowest-paid workers in Australia—those who work in the child-care industry—and they sent out the following propaganda. They sent out a document that stated: 'How does my centre qualify for the money that they can get under the fund? This is how you qualify: you join United Voice.' Well, no, actually—you do not need to join United Voice to get access to this fund. United Voice then negotiates a new EBA, because—guess what? One of the conditions of this fund is that the childcare centre has to have an EBA. And guess what? Only 20 per cent of childcare centres in Australia have an EBA—knocking out, overnight, 80 per cent of childcare centres in Australia. They automatically do not qualify for this fund unless United Voice negotiates an EBA on their behalf. They then say the owner-operator signs an agreement with the government. And guess what the end process is? You get a raise. That is blatantly misleading the lowest-paid workers in Australia. The Labor Party and their little friends in the Green movement know full well that less than 40 per cent of those in the childcare sector will get any share of these funds—less than 40 per cent.

So when they stand up in this place and they say that they are getting a raise for the lowest-paid workers in Australia and they have the audacity to then send out propaganda to those workers indicating that they will all get a raise, that is an absolute disgrace. It shows just how low those on the other side will go to blatantly mislead those vulnerable people in the childcare sector who actually believed that this legislation was going to give them a pay rise. That is completely, totally and utterly incorrect. There is only $300 million going into this fund. There are exceptionally strict guidelines under which a childcare centre in Australia can apply for the funds—which automatically, in relation to the EBA, knocks out over 80 per cent of childcare centres in Australia.

But worse than that even the former minister—the minister had to resign because he could not serve under the current Prime Minister, Mr Rudd—Minister Garrett claimed that 68,000 people may or may not be entitled to the pay rise. Media reports say that it is closer to a workforce of 78,000. But guess what? When at estimates we asked the department how many childcare workers in Australia would potentially qualify for these funds, do you know what the department said? They said, 'We actually don't know.' But they could confirm one thing: they could confirm that 40 per cent or fewer of the childcare sector will qualify for the funds. Do you know what is even worse?

Senator Lines interjecting—

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Lines, you have been interjecting quite consistently. It is disorderly to do so across the chamber.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Was that a sheep bleating? Did someone bring a sheep into this chamber?

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ignore the interjections, Senator Cash.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Back, did you bring a sheep into this chamber? If you did you need to control it. As a vet, Senator Back, you need to control your sheep.

As I was saying, the childcare sector—the people who are allegedly going to be the beneficiaries of this legislation—have come out and said to the government: 'You can't do this. You are creating a two-tiered system within child care in Australia.' But why does that surprise me? Those on the other side play elitist politics every day of the week. Those on the other side love class warfare. This is exactly what this bill does. They throw $300 million at United Voice. United Voice can then run around on a membership drive and sign up a few extra people. And they will be telling them that they are going to get a pay rise, and that is blatantly misrepresenting what this legislation does. But at least the childcare sector knows that this legislation is nothing more and nothing less than confirmation of what we already knew about the former Gillard government—and quite frankly the current Rudd government. And we all know that Senator Wong voted for Rudd, the sisterhood stabbing one of their own in the back. You always have to like it, don't you, when the sisterhood stab one of their own in the back? Stabbing people in the back is exactly what this legislation does.

What is worse than the fact that this is merely for a union membership drive and worse than the fact that 40 per cent or fewer of the sector will qualify is that the fund runs out after two years and then there is no money; no money at all. The Labor Party, the party of the workers, throw a bit of money at a few people in the sector and pretend that they are saving the world and giving them a huge pay rise—and they pretend that they are the party of the workers—when in reality this is nothing more and nothing less than one of the worst con jobs that has ever come before this chamber.

Then you have the childcare centres, who have said to the government in submission after submission: 'We are concerned. What happens if we apply for these funds and are not successful? What do we then go back and say to our workers? Our union, United Voice, told the workers they're getting a pay rise. But under the guidelines, they're not getting a pay rise. What do we say to the workers?' I can tell you what United Voice are going to be saying: they are going to be saying, 'That bad employer refused to pass that pay rise on.' But there will be no pay rise; there never was a pay rise. This legislation is just smoke and mirrors, nothing more and nothing less.

What is worse is that a lot of the childcare centres have said that, as a result of this grubby little piece of legislation, they are going to have to raise the wages that they pay to compete with those who may get a wage rise courtesy of the government. But they cannot afford to. All this government is doing is creating a two-tiered system in Australia. But you would expect nothing more and nothing less from those elitists on the other side.

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

The time allocated for the consideration of this bill has expired. The question is that this bill be now read a second time.