STATEMENTS

Ms BELYEA (Dunkley) (18:43): In this last hour we have heard from members from all sides of the House about the vital importance and value of childcare education, the sector, the centres and the staff and about their critical role in educating and taking care of our children, enabling many MPs, senators and their staff to come to work and do the work they do in here.

In these past 12 months we have passed legislation to address issues and build the sector with pay increases for early childcare workers and to provide access to early childhood education and further training through free TAFE, and now we make the move to improve the legislation, which is needed to ensure that our children are safe and protected. One of the first pieces of legislation tabled in parliament early last week was this Early Childhood Education and Care (Strengthening Regulation of Early Education) Bill 2025.

The work to introduce the bill was undertaken rapidly. This is thanks to the Minister for Education and Senator Walsh this past month, with the support of the opposition and the crossbench. I speak to this bill with a very heavy heart.

I believe I speak for every member of this House when I say I wish we didn't have to introduce this bill, because in Australia we all envision that reforms like this should not be necessary. However, recent events have reminded us, painfully, that we need to do more to protect our children. Like so many parents across the nation, several weeks ago I was overcome with disgust when I read the reports of the reprehensible actions of one childcare worker across 24 centres.

The sexual abuse and rape of children by one childcare worker was not just shocking; it was deeply disturbing. You don't need to be a parent to feel your stomach turn. The unimaginable breach of trust, the trauma inflicted on innocent children and the fear and helplessness felt by their families then and now cut deep.

I understand the fear and helplessness because I experienced sexual abuse as a child. The trauma of this abuse impacted my confidence, self-esteem and capacity to engage in education in primary school years. I switched off and shut down.

My journey to recovery has taken years and impacted all of my family members. That is why the events of recent weeks struck such a deep chord in me as a parent, as a representative in this House and as a person with lived experience who cherishes children, their innocence and the need to protect them and keep them safe. What happened was not just wrong; it was criminal.

We must do what we can to ensure that it doesn't happen again. As we think about recovery and the support these families and children need, we have to do more to prevent this sort of thing happening in the future. That is what this bill is focused on—protecting our children, supporting their families and ensuring we can trust our early childhood educators and the care system.

Trust in our early childhood education and care system is not optional; it is essential. Increasing numbers of families rely on this system not just for their child's development but so they can go to work, earn an income, contribute to our economy and provide for their loved ones. No parent or carer should have to consider whether they work or not because of concerns about our childcare system and the safety and protection of their children.

No parent or carer should leave home apprehensive about whether or not their child's wellbeing will be protected that day. And no educator should be tainted by the actions of the few—in this case, one—who breached their duty of care. Because of this, it is our responsibility as lawmakers to step up and restore trust in the system.

Over the past month, this government has taken action to restrict the use of personal devices in early childhood education centres and reduce the timeframe for reporting abuse to 24 hours. The government will continue to build on these measures by granting the Commonwealth the power to withhold funding from early education and care providers who consistently fail to meet safety standards.

We will empower authorised officers to conduct unannounced visits to perform spot checks and to crack down on providers who breach regulations or engage in fraud. This government has a firm commitment to ensuring Australians' safety, in particular that of children and young people. This is evident as we work towards the ban on social media for young people under 16 years of age.

Upholding the law is the role of government, and the Attorney-General is committed to ensuring the safety and care of children as well. Yesterday the Attorney-General announced that her top priority is to work with the states and territories to ensure there are meaningful changes to working-with-children checks nationally so there is national transparency and consistency.

There is nothing more important than ensuring our children's safety, that they receive the care they are promised and that they receive the educational benefits from the early childcare education system. It is that premise that will form the foundation of a universal early childhood education and care system, which was part of our federal election campaign. We want more families to access early learning, not just because it boosts educational outcomes but because it helps parents, especially mothers, return to the workforce.

A strong early childhood education and care system is a cornerstone of a strong economy and a thriving Australia. It lifts productivity. It narrows the gender pay gap.

It provides children and young people with opportunities, and it ensures that no family has to choose between income and quality care for their children. It is important to underscore that, overwhelmingly, children are well cared for in centres. To the centres and their staff that provide care and support to our children currently: thank you for all you do.

However, there cannot be any risks taken. The small number of providers who put profit over safety, who undercut security and who fail to meet quality standards have no right to operate. This bill highlights that this government listens and acts swiftly to community concerns and the deeply grievous harm conducted by this one man.

Strict safety regulators will be imposed, and bad providers will be punished. The Albanese Labor government's bold and ambitious childcare reform agenda was announced prior to the election, because we know the first 36 months of a child's life are the most important. Our three-day childcare guarantee will take effect from 1 July 2026, benefiting 66,000 families in its first full year and delivering savings of up to $11,000 per household.

That is real support for real families. We must ensure we support and build our early childhood education sector for years to come. This bill is part of this vision for our future.

In the electorate of Dunkley we have many childcare centres and childcare workers who are dedicated to the children and their families. They are professionals and work tirelessly to provide great care. In an electorate like Dunkley, many of them have attended Chisholm TAFE and benefited from fee-free TAFE this past 12 months.

I've met students and heard their stories. Adele Patterson, from Frankston, recently completed her childcare course. I asked her about her views on the events of the past month.

Adele shared with me a number of strategies to lift the standards of childcare safety for children. She commented that we need males in our workplace in childcare centres. They can be very good role models for the boys in our centres.

She recommended that, if you don't have your Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, then you shouldn't be hired, while centres should offer more training for new staff and ongoing training for existing staff. Some of the issues we are required to deal with as politicians are simply not political, and this is one of them. This bill is not up for debate.

As parliamentarians, parents, educators and carers, we must unite on this issue. We must show leadership as we work to pass this bill with the unity and urgency it deserves, because the safety, security and wellbeing of our children is paramount. This bill is not about sowing fear or alarm; it's about restoring trust.

It's about telling parents their child's safety is our top priority, and we will enforce that with the full weight of the law. To the early childcare educators who are professionals: we value you. We have zero tolerance for abuse, and this just legislation puts that principle, this value, into action.

I commend the government for acting swiftly. The bill reflects our unwavering commitment to the safety of all Australians, especially our children.