Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Will the Abbott government's green paper on Federation contain a proposal to cut federal kindergarten and preschool funding altogether?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Peris, I did try to explain to your colleague Senator O'Neil that a green paper is prepared for the purpose of putting all the options on the table, not excluding or including any options. One of the options in the green paper will be to increase the Commonwealth's funding of schooling and pre-schooling. One of the options in the Green paper will be to increase the Commonwealth's involvement so that the Commonwealth takes on a greater role in schooling funding and preschool funding. But it is not the only option, because an options paper is a paper that sets out the variety of choices from which a decision can be made.

These options have not been developed by this government alone. They have been developed in consultation with the states and territories, including the Labor states and territories—

Senator O'Neill interjecting —

And if I might take your objection, Senator O'Neil—you obviously were not listening to my friend Senator Birmingham yesterday when he read to the Senate what the Labor Premier of South Australia, Mr Jay Weatherill, had to say about this very process. Let me read it again:

… it’s only a discussion paper … We’ve been asking them—

the Labor government of South Australia has been asking the Abbott government, that is—

to canvas the broader range of options … There’s a broad debate going on about Commonwealth/state relations, which is a good thing.

And Premier Weatherill went on to say, 'I think the Prime Minister is serious about reform.'

If it is good enough for the Labor Premier of South Australia, Mr Jay Weatherill, to commend this process, I would have thought it is good enough for the federal Labor Party to get on board and understand that if we are serious about reforming Federation, we should think carefully about all the options.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. How much more will Australian parents have to pay to send their children to kindergarten and preschool if Commonwealth funding ceases?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that there is no proposal on the table for Commonwealth funding to cease, I think the question is based entirely on a false premise.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order: that was a completely inconsistent answer to the one that was given to the primary question, so the Attorney-General has misled the Senate either in the first or the second question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not concur with that, Senator Wong.

Senator Wong interjecting—

I am not going to debate it with you, Senator Wong. The minister has answered the question.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Cutting federal funding would see most children's access to early education cut by the equivalent of a day a week, from 15 hours to 10. What damage will this do to children's development?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have told you, the government has made no such decision.