Senator PAYNE (New South Wales—Minister for Human Services) (14:53): I would like to thank the senator for his question in deference to Senator Fifield's linguistic skills. Of course, members of the chamber will recall Labor's apparently ironclad 2007 election promise, I think it was, that they would make child care more affordable. 'More affordable'—what an interesting concept! When the Department of Education's Child Care and Early Learning in Summary report for the September quarter was released earlier this month, it showed quite clearly that childcare fees had skyrocketed by 53 per cent across the six years of the Labor government. The findings of that report were confirmed by the NATSEM report released earlier this week. For an average family using long day care, that equates to $75 extra in fees per week or more than $3,500 a year. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! When there is silence on my left we will proceed. Senator Payne. Senator PAYNE: I was saying, Mr President, for families with children in full-time care, that rise works out to be more than $130 a week and $6,300 a year in additional fees. It is a damning indictment of those opposite and demonstrates their complete misunderstanding of the childcare sector. When they took office, in September 2007, the average long day care fee was $5 an hour; by the time they left, in September 2013, it was $7.65. Outside-school-hours care fees rose by 52 per cent during the same period. Family day care fees were up by 50 per cent and occasional care fees by 50 per cent. It is a shameful legacy. They promised 260 new childcare centres; they built 38 and then said in 2010, 'Oh, we won't build the extra 222.' You should be embarrassed. You should be ashamed of that broken promise—222 childcare centres that you just did not bother to build. (Time expired) Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Honourable senators, if you wish to debate it, the time to debate it is after the end of question time.