Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

Knowing how desperate the government are to avoid accountability on schools and education questions, I am going to ask a range of questions on both schools and child care and ask that those which the government does not answer in this place be taken on notice.

My first point is around the school chaplains program. I note that the budget allocated $245 million for the National School Chaplaincy Program but that this minister decided to declare that this funding would only be available for religious chaplains and that welfare officers and other qualified counsellors would not receive funding under this program. We note that there are many indications of the government's hypocrisy—firstly, that it talks about school autonomy on one hand and on the other hand says that it will not give principals the option of deciding that a welfare officer is best for them. How does the government justify cutting funding for qualified welfare staff that so many schools rely on? Has the government undertaken an impact assessment of this change? I also note that the minister was bragging about reducing compliance on these school chaplains. How will the government ensure that the program standards and safeguards will be maintained? Why didn't the government consult with school principals and parents before making this decision? How many schools will lose welfare officers as a result of this government's decision? If the government needs to take this on notice, I understand, but can it provide a list of each school which previously had access to a non-religious welfare officer under this program?

I also have a range of questions around the almost $1 billion in cuts to child care which this government has announced, including the $157 million cuts to family day care. Why did the government refuse to consult with the family day care sector before deciding to axe this essential support, which Family Day Care Australia estimates will make families have to pay an extra $35 a week in their family day care fees? What plans does the government have to make up for any loss of supply due to the cutting of these funds? Has the government undertaken any analysis on the areas of Australia that are most likely to be impacted by the changes? How will the government provide assurances that services have educators in areas where family day care is critically important?

Regarding the appalling changes to and attacks against the means-tested childcare benefit which this government is so proudly bragging will only impact people who earn $42,000 or more, how can the government continue to push for a paid parental leave scheme that will deliver $50,000 cheques to millionaires whilst cutting the existing childcare benefit that people who earn just $42,000 a year rely upon? How will the government save $230.4 million from these measures if it is continuing to try and argue that black is white and this is not a savings measure and a cut? I ask the government to provide the House with a breakdown of how this figure of 500,000 families that will be worse off as a result of this measure was calculated. If the government has done no such analysis on the impact on families of various income levels, will it at least now do it and provide it to the House as this bill goes through?

Regarding preschool, I notice that the government are backing away from support for universal access in our preschool system, citing that they do not want to undermine the Productivity Commission report, yet they are very happy to undermine and pre-empt that report when it comes to slashing childcare benefit and childcare rebate for hundreds of thousands of Australian families. I ask: will the minister guarantee the continuation of federal funding for preschools? Will the minister make a commitment to an ongoing partnership with state and territory governments to fund preschool programs?

I will also go to the Minister for Education when it comes to his attacks on all of the youth unemployment prevention programs which are so critically important in our schools at a time when the government is at the same time attacking Australians for being too reliant on welfare and threatening to leave young people with absolutely nothing to live on for six months. Why is it that every youth unemployment prevention program is being cancelled in his portfolio?

I also note the Prime Minister's recent comments about industry involvement in schools. I ask the government: if trades in schools and linking with industry is so important to jobs and Australia's future productivity then why are trades training centres and partnership brokers programs, which are providing an effective way of bringing industry in and of providing a pathway to work experience and employment beyond school, all being cut by this government that promised no cuts to education and seems to delight in delivering record cuts in that same portfolio. (Time expired)

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