QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (14:27): Well, this week I met Melanie, Sisca, Sharon, Dristi and Kath, five dedicated early educators working across Canberra. But their story could be the story of any one of the 215,000 early educators benefiting from this pay rise. Educating and caring for children is the most important job in this country, and Melanie told me she's been doing it for many years.

Melanie told me that, during the 10 long years of the coalition doing absolutely nothing about their wages, she had been advocating for this pay rise with her union, the United Workers Union. She told me that the change took time and that the change she advocated for has been worth it, especially when she looks at younger educators like Siska and Dristi, who now see a future in the jobs that they love.

(Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Sheldon, a second supplementary?