Mrs SUDMALIS (Gilmore) (16:07): This is a pretty passionate issue for many of us, especially mums and dads who are looking for child care. But I often wonder how we look at balancing everything, whether it be policy direction or how to fund certain programs. On the one hand, we have a policy to make sure that every child in Australia gets 15 hours per week of early childhood education. It has been something that I have been barracking for for four years— Ms Kate Ellis interjecting— Mrs SUDMALIS: No, it actually was introduced by Julia Gillard, and we are trying to continue it—to go on. Ms Kate Ellis interjecting— Mrs SUDMALIS: Okay—preschool education; I stand corrected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Coulton ): The shadow minister has had her turn. Mrs SUDMALIS: This was an expenditure that is absolutely seen as an investment that each of us in this House, no matter the descriptor, believe is a good thing. It has to be affordable. It has to be effective. And the childcare changes that we are bringing into place actually allow it to happen. I have spoken to many parents and, especially, kindergarten teachers about the absolute need for this activity—for introducing young children to formal education. This is the place where they learn to hold a pencil properly, to sit quietly, to take instructions, to work in small groups and to play productively. For some of the children in my region of Gilmore, this is their very first chance to be part of such an activity. I have been a champion of this aspect of the package for more than three years. This investment comes with a pretty high price tag. The government's childcare package strikes the right balance. There is targeted childcare support for hardworking families who depend on it, a generous safety net to protect those most vulnerable in our community and ongoing support for high-quality early learning. And that is boosted through $840 million a year of federal support. Where does that money come from? On this side of the House, we know that money does not grow on trees—even if we are standing in the fairy garden at the local preschool. It seems to me that families with an annual income greater than $185,000 per year will be able to work with the new $10,000-a-year cap for their child care. It also seems to me that most families in Gilmore earn nowhere near that amount. So an 85 per cent subsidy for child care which is uncapped is a huge improvement for them. We have coupled this with a benchmark set for each hour of childcare fees so that unscrupulous centres do not just say, 'Well, the government's going to subsidise it, so I might as well jack the price up a bit,' which, in reality, means that Mr and Mrs Taxpayer are picking up the tab. In most people's view, this is not fair—it is not fair at all. There are many in my community who grew up with no child care for their children: nothing for them— Ms Husar interjecting— The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Lindsay will stop the sound effects. Mrs SUDMALIS: and nothing for their kids, and they did it while having a whole extra load of work. We will be asking that the childcare subsidy is only paid if the parent is working, training, studying or volunteering. Our families are desperate for good-quality, affordable child care and for hours that suit. I would like to visit the problem as stated earlier regarding our Indigenous child care. Some of our centres have been charging a full day for a child who is only in attendance for four hours, then coming to me and saying it is not enough. Well, I agree; spread those hours over the week. Then they say that they do not meet the requirement. But they are teaching those young Indigenous mums parenting skills and literacy; they are making sure the cultural heritage goes through with their children. Not once have they realised that that is training—that that enables those young mums to still get that childcare payment. The operating business model needs to be looked at. They need to make sure they understand exactly what they are doing, talk to the TAFE and get a registered training organisation in association with them, so that these beautiful Indigenous mums will qualify for the full subsidy and keep the facilities open. This government is truly dedicated to promoting early education, helping with Indigenous childcare centres, helping our single mums get back to work and helping our families who really have not a scrap's worth of education and are trying to better themselves. We are determined that there are opportunities to make a difference in our communities, and this is the way to do it: have well-capped childcare fees; set a benchmark so that the childcare facilities do not keep raising the fees; encourage our Indigenous facilities to say, 'You know what? We're doing a great job. We're training these mums. We've got parenting skills. We've got mums-and-bubs skills. We are looking at cultural diversity.' We can do this. But we need to work together. Both sides of this House need to realise that money does not grow on the fairy tree. We have to balance this out and be reasonable.