QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (14:25): Thank you, Senator Sheldon, for your question and for always standing up for women workers and for all workers. On Tuesday, the parliament locked in our historic 15 per cent pay rise for early educators because, on this side of the chamber, we back workers. This pay rise has made real change in their lives.

For a typical full-time educator, it means an extra $255 a week. This is helping educators. It is helping them pay the rent.

It is helping them pay the bills, save a little and plan for the future. When we first came to government, the workforce was in crisis. Educators were leaving the sector in droves.

They loved their jobs, but love didn't pay the bills. We listened, and we acted. When you pay educators more, more people want to do the job.

Since the pay rise was first announced, 20,000 more educators have joined the sector—more jobs, more educators and a stable workforce. This is good for children because they see the same trusted faces each week. It's good for families because it means centres are more stable and more reliable.

It's good for educators because they can build a career in early learning. Centres receiving the payment must limit fee increases so the cost isn't passed on to families. We are strengthening safety too.

From July next year, if centres don't meet the national safety standard, they face losing their funding under the worker retention payment, because nothing is more important than keeping children safe. We know this pay rise is working and that's why we've locked it in. The PRESIDENT: Senator Sheldon, first supplementary?