Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently celebrated the 15 per cent pay rise for people working in early childhood education—the educators who are ensuring that the next generation have the fantastic start they need to reach their full potential. When I was at Goodstart Early Learning at Newstead, in my home state of Tasmania, it was just so lovely to walk into a centre and see so many smiling faces. As soon as you walk into that centre you see there are photos of all the staff, ensuring that the children feel secure when they come in and families know they're going to get the best possible care.

The centre manager, Libby, has created, as I said, such a warm and inviting atmosphere for the children and families, but it's important for the children to have a creative learning environment that enables them to dream and inspires them to achieve their own goals. One of the initiatives that pleased me the most was the celebration of staff at the centre. As I said, as soon as you walk in that door you see photos of them, to make sure that the centre is a safe environment for those children. I spoke to a staff member there, Belinda, about the 15 per cent pay rise that the Albanese government is delivering for early childhood educators in this country. She's a mother of two and a grandmother, and she's inspiring in that she's saving like mad to buy a home, to ensure she provides a secure home environment for her own children and her grandchild. There is such dignity and security in having a place of your own—in making sure you're able to do that for your family. Belinda was so excited and so grateful that educators have finally been acknowledged by our government, and I'm proud to be part of a government that acknowledges early childhood— (Time expired)