Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Watt, the Minister representing the Minister for Early Childhood Education. Minister, under Labor's proposed childcare changes, what will the increase in childcare subsidy be for a family earning $60,000? Is it true that the subsidy will lift from 90 per cent to 95 per cent under Labor's proposal?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's only the representing minister.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. Yes, I am the representing minister; that is a statement of fact. As the representing minister, what I can tell you is that the Albanese Labor government will be delivering cheaper child care for Australian families, something that your government did not do. As a result, 97 per cent of families in Australia will be better off.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Hughes?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance. It was a very specific question: is it true it will go from 90 to 95 per cent for a family with $60,000?

Thanks, Senator Ciccone. You should be the minister!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did remind senators yesterday, and I'll remind senators again today, when you call a point of order you simply state the point of order and then not get into argument or other statements. I do believe that the minister is being relevant. He has just started answering the question. There were a lot of interjections the minute he stood so it's quite difficult to hear him, but I am listening carefully. Thank you, Minister Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. As I was saying, I'm very happy about the fact that the Albanese Labor government will be delivering cheaper child care to Australian families. Not just one family, not just two families, but 97 per cent of Australian families using the early childhood sector and childcare system will be better off as a result of our policy—something that you were not able to do in your first year, your second year, your third year, your fourth year, your fifth year, your sixth year, your seventh year, your eighth year or your ninth year.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order on direct relevance: it was a very specific question that the minister should be able to answer—families on $60,000 and $90,000 to $95,000.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, there is no need to—

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not relevant—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, you've asked me for a point of order. You may not agree with what I say, but I am the President. It's your job to make your point of order, sit down and then not further interject. Senator Watt, I would draw you back to the question. Thank you. Please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I'm happy to take the exact details of that question on notice for Senator Hughes. And I'm happy that she is showing an interest in this issue, because I don't remember any opposition senator ever doing anything to support child care in the way that the Labor government is doing. What I do remember is the now opposition copying the policy of Labor, then opposition, when it came to child care, but not delivering that policy in full, and for that reason, that policy—what was then your policy—left a lot of Australian families much more out of pocket than ours will. That's what I remember.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance: I ask you to direct the minister to actually answer the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hughes. I will remind the minister. I note he has agreed to take the question on notice—

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's finished his answer then—

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I still have 30 seconds—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Hughes, resume your seat. I am not entertaining any further points of order from you on this matter. I've directed the minister to be relevant. Minister Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on the points order that have been taken, and indeed Senator Watt's assertion while you was speaking before, cavalierly, that he still has 30 more seconds, with a tone that apparently means he can say whatever he likes, just because he has taken the details on notice does not remove the obligation for him to be directly relevant to the question that has been asked and does not provide him with free licence to simply talk about the previous government. I encourage you to draw him back to the direct relevance of the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. You might recall I was in the process of responding to the point of order raised by Senator Hughes and Senator Hughes took it upon herself to interject again so I have not been given the opportunity to respond. I will draw Senator Watt back to the question. And I would ask all senators to raise their points of order respectfully and to sit down when asked to do so. Minister.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. As I was saying, and I appreciate the opportunity to remind the chamber, all Australian families who use the childcare system will be better off under the Labor policy that we will now implement than under the policies that existed under the former government. It took a change of government to deliver the cheaper child care that Australian families so desperately need. There is one party that is delivering a cost-of-living benefit to Australians. It is Labor in child care and other areas. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, a first supplementary question.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under Labor's proposed child care changes—and I'm assuming you'll have to take this one on notice, but if you could stick to that—what will the increase in childcare subsidy be for a family earning $400,000? And is it true that the subsidy will now lift from zero to 27 per cent under Labor's proposal?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I'm happy to take the details of that question on notice for Senator Hughes. I'm sure that her colleagues in the House of Representatives are posing the same question to the actual minister to get that level of detail. If that's not occurring, perhaps she could have a chat to her colleagues about that.

I think the other point to be noticed here is that, as we have consistently said, child care is not simply a social welfare program. Child care is not simply about economically supporting families who receive childcare benefits, as important as that is. Increasing childcare payments is an important economic policy of this government to broaden, in particular, women's participation in the workforce. Having affordable child care, regardless of income, is an important measure for this government to take to increase women's participation in the workforce. It is a shame that the former government didn't take the opportunity in any of the nine and a bit years that it was in government to do the same thing. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, a second supplementary?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whilst I appreciate the minister—the 'not my job' minister—Senator Watt, has taken on notice the getting of the figures, some of us have actually had a look at these papers. Perhaps you might like to explain why, under Labor's much-vaunted cost-of-living support, it's proposing to give more than five times in assistance to a family earning over $400,000 than it does to a family earning $60,000. (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's nothing quite like being condescended to by Senator Hughes, is there, to make one's self-esteem feel that much stronger! Whenever I'm feeling any degree of self-doubt—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

The:

Minister!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The condescender-in-chief's back.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm waiting for silence.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're so good for women, aren't you!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes!

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the minister to withdraw. That was disparaging to me and to every woman in this place. He should withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, it would assist the chamber if you withdrew.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If it would assist the chamber, I'm happy to withdraw. I will point out that I was directing those remarks to only Senator Hughes when it comes to condescending other people in this chamber.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But I'm happy to withdraw if that assists the chamber.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. When I ask people, in the interests of the chamber, either to withdraw or to withdraw fully, I expect it to be done in a serious manner and that no other commentary be put with that. If you would, consider the chamber, withdraw and move on.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy to withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In answer to Senator Hughes's supplementary question, as I was saying in answer to the previous question, something that the opposition seems to fail to grasp is that childcare payments are not only a social welfare measure; they are an important measure to encourage more women to participate in the workplace. We know that women's participation in the workplace is far lower than men's and we know that increasing women's participation in the workplace is an important economic measure for this government.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order on clarification. Is the minister saying child care is a social welfare measure?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not a point of order, Senator Ruston.

Order! Interjections across the chamber are disorderly, Senator Ruston. Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If Senator Ruston requires me to do so, I will repeat the point. The point I was making is that childcare payments are not only a social welfare measure; they are an economic development measure. The Australian workforce needs more women, and childcare payments will assist. (Time expired)