Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Every day parents trust early childhood educators with the most important people in their world, and every day Australia asks early educators to do one of the most important jobs imaginable. Our government is making sure those educators are fairly paid. As a mum of a small child, I know the nerves of drop-offs and the joys of pickups. But I also know the security I feel as a parent that my child is getting not only the very best care possible but the very best early education possible as well.

That's why a wage increase is so important, because it is thanks to our incredible educators that our youngest Australians are getting the very best start in life, and the wages of educators should reflect that. That's why our government is proudly delivering a 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood educators and care workers, and it will be linked to a cap on fees because this is incredibly important cost-of-living relief as well. This is not just about raising wages; it's about making meaningful investment in our children and in our nation. It is a win for parents, a win for educators and a significant step towards gender equity.

When we announce a policy like this, sometimes the silence from those opposite is deafening, and the support for early childhood educators is deafening as well. But they have not been as silent this time around. I want to raise with the chamber the comments from LNP senator, Senator Rennick, who said this week in response to this policy that childcare was destroying the family unit and brainwashing children. Shame on the LNP for having a position that doesn't support early childhood educators and that doesn't support a pay rise for those important workers but condemns them instead. Shame on the LNP and shame on Senator Rennick for saying this about childcare workers.