David Smith
Bean · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“When Australian sport is showcased on the international stage, all Australians feel proud. But I think the best by-product of international success is the inspiration it provides to people back at home to get involved in community sports. There are few things as rewarding, both physically and mentally, as getting involved in sports.”
“But, unfathomably, this club has been prevented from seeking promotion to the ACT National Premier League Girls competition and prevented from providing girls and their club a strong pathway into higher levels of participation in their sport.”
“And it does this without increasing the administrative burden on our doctors. This bill also outlaws another practice that is becoming increasingly problematic in the insurance system, which is the practice of product phoenixing.”
“It is unjustifiable to expect Australians to commit to a medical treatment without being able to compare those costs against the fees charged by other providers. Australians have the right to know the level of support that is provided by their private health insurer so they can determine from the outset their likely out-of-pocket costs.”
“The Albanese government has delivered the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the maximum cost of a general script falling from $42.50 to $30 in January 2023 and now to $25.”
“This bill before the House creates changes that will require an insurer to seek ministerial approval for the premium charged for a proposed new product and, importantly, where changes are made that reduce cover, a benefit or a term of condition of an existing product.”
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“To a child of the seventies and eighties, the persona of the public service mandarin seemed to be somewhere between Sir Humphrey Appleby and John Stone. It was in this role that John Stone sat at the very beginning of the great economic reforms of the Hawke and Keating partnership, even though it's fair to say that he was not a strong supporter of those changes or the governments which shepherded them through. The Hawke-Keating years were a heady time of political change marked by the accords. Economic liberalism was matched by generational investments in the social contract. It was my experience of Labor governments during those times that started me on the journey that ultimately ended here. It was a time marked by a contest of ideas, and the outcomes of this process shaped our nation.”
“I rise today to contribute to the messages of condolence on the late John Stone AO. John Stone served in the other place from 1987 to 1990, representing the great state of Queensland, and also served as the leader of the National Party in the other place. He was shadow finance minister at a time when questions on our economy and national finances were daily topics of robust debate. He was also a longstanding public official, joining Treasury in 1954 and spending considerable time with the IMF and the World Bank before famously serving as the Secretary of the Department of the Treasury from 1979 to 1984. He was no shrinking violet, often appearing in the media of the day, providing commentary on any economic issue.”
“This will cut years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, turning a decade into a few years, and buyers won't have to pay a single dollar in mortgage insurance. This means that the average time to save for an $800,000 home would go down to just a few years, compared to the decade it would take to save for 20 per cent deposit. Together with measures to increase housing supply, the Albanese government is making real progress on improving Australia's housing crisis—a housing crisis that was decades in the making, that will not be fixed overnight, but a housing crisis we are prepared to meet full on.”
“There are far too many hardworking Australians who feel like their dream of homeownership in the communities in which they work, live and play has never been further out of reach. For too long, these first home buyers—including thousands of young people in my electorate of Bean, like those in so many electorates across the country—have been locked out of the housing market. Well, last term we got to work and, already, more than 1,200 constituents in Bean are participating in the Home Guarantee Scheme. And that's why, from 1 October, the Albanese government will be making it easier for all new home buyers to buy their first home. With this new housing scheme, first home buyers will be able to buy their own home with a five per cent deposit.”
“Pope Francis invited world leaders to join him and, in his words, 'emerge from the dark night of wars and environmental devastation in order to turn our common future into the dawn of a new and radiant day'. That is the invitation Pope Francis provided to all of us, not just those of the Catholic faith. This is the invitation that we need both courage and grace to accept.”
“As we witness immense suffering and violence not only in Gaza but around the world, we must turn to the example of Pope Francis. If we truly care about respecting his spiritual leadership and the consequences of that leadership, we need to act on his powerful words and deeds. Let all of us recommit ourselves to bringing the kind of peace Pope Francis reached for, a just and lasting peace, to not only Gaza but all corners of the world. We can do good and lend a hand. Let our recommitment to the peace be the legacy of Pope Francis, a peace he knew relied on freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.”
“I'm drawn to the 2025 Easter message of Pope Francis, essentially his final statement to the world. In his message, Pope Francis drew a powerful link between the hope of Easter and the urgent need for peace and justice around the world. He called for peace in Gaza, saying: … I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation. I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace! As we stand here and reflect upon that towering legacy of Pope Francis, it is incumbent on all of us to move beyond mere words.”
“He said: Mass displacement, in addition to the other effects of global political, economic and military tensions, undermines efforts to ensure that people's living conditions are improved on the basis of their inherent dignity. It bears repeating time and again: poverty, inequalities, lack of access to basic resources such as food, drinking water, health, education, housing, are a serious affront to human dignity! Pope Francis called for peace in every instance of conflict, and he had a particular focus on the violence and suffering in Gaza. As it does all of us, the scale of violence and destruction deeply troubled Pope Francis. He made a daily phone call to Father Gabriel Romanelli of the Holy Family Church, Gaza's only Catholic church. The church had recently been badly damaged in an Israeli strike.”
“He was also committed to using his role in a way that was both contemporary and relevant to the greatest challenges which face humanity today. His two great encyclicals laid bare the climate crisis and the urgent need for action. But the office of Pope has both a spiritual and a political role. Pope Francis was very much a pope suited to his times. He faced a world marked by conflict, division and crisis. His commitment was to peace—not the peace which follows the absence of conflict but the peace that is a consequence of the presence of justice. He decried that millions of people worldwide continue to suffer from malnutrition, citing armed conflict and climate change, with the resulting national disasters, as key culprits.”
“The approach of Pope Francis to his time in office was a marked change from that of some of his predecessors. Where there was once stiff formality, Pope Francis adopted a position of informality. Pope Francis reached for clarity and sought to open the doors of the church to all. Pope Francis in particular sought to be a pope for the poor, the dispossessed and the marginalised. He understood the immense influence his position afforded him and he sought to use that power to help and heal. He was also committed to opening the decision-making process of the church. Pope Francis worked for an expanded role for women and lay people in the life of the church—work which I trust will continue. His commitment to interfaith dialogue and connection was also unshakeable. In particular, the visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia comes to mind.”
“His Holiness, in his first, brief address—this first leader of the Catholic Church from the Southern Hemisphere and from the Americas—provided a simple message of hope and fraternity, inviting us to join him on 'a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust'. Then, in his first homily, His Holiness spoke of the importance of walking in faith, building faith and professing faith, recognising that this is not easy and that there will always be something pulling us back. There will always be buts, but to truly walk, build and profess takes courage and grace. His Holiness Pope Francis led a papacy which was marked by his unflinching commitment to social justice and peace. He was the first pope from Latin America and, as such, the first pope born and raised outside of Europe since the eighth century.”
“It is with both sadness and gratitude that I rise today in this place to pay tribute to the life and legacy of one of the great figures of our times, His Holiness Pope Francis. I do so as someone who represents an electorate with a strong and generous Catholic community, and I do so, too, as someone who, while an imperfect Catholic myself, knows the power that faith can have in shaping lives, communities and a better world. I begin this reflection by reflecting that we are in a time of first speeches. Over the last fortnight, this place has been filled with the extraordinary stories of the journeys of new parliamentarians to this place. We have heard stories of struggle, resilience and hope. Elections can well be a time of grief, but they are also times of renewal and hope and opportunity.”
“This delivery from the Albanese government is allied with work to deliver a perinatal wellbeing centre in Tuggeranong, an urgent care clinic in Woden and, last year, an eating disorders clinic in the Molonglo Valley. I am committed to ensuring that the people of Bean continue to get access to real, on-the-ground services which make a meaningful difference to their lives, and this centre will have a real and lasting impact on the lives of thousands of Canberrans, not just constituents of Bean.”
“This morning I was joined by the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, the member for Dobell, for the opening of a new Medicare mental health centre in Tuggeranong, in the heart of my electorate of Bean. It was great to meet the staff and partners who have made this centre possible. The welcoming centre is staffed by a multidisciplinary care team, which provides care specific to each person who visits the centre. The centre can be accessed by anyone, with no appointment, referral or mental health treatment plan needed. Critically, it can be accessed at no cost. All that is needed is a Medicare card. My constituents will now be able to access critical mental health supports for free, close to other community amenities.”
“My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on its election commitments, including its commitment for cheaper home batteries? Is the government being asked to consider other policies?”
“Before the election, those opposite attacked this policy and said that Australians would see no benefit. The Australian people and particularly young Australians disagree. On 3 May 2025, Australians made their voices heard. They voted to cut the debt of three million Australians by 20 per cent, and they voted for this important step in helping those who will build Australia's future. Those opposite would do well to listen to the voices of the Australian people and join the government in supporting this measure, this intergenerational investment in young Australians.”
“Despite the views of the member for Gippsland, our work in reducing HECS debts is nation-building work. This work is part of our strategy to promote intergenerational fairness while recognising that quality education can change lives. This work has already begun in this place with the introduction of the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025 last week. This means that every Australian with a HELP debt loan or other form of student debt will enjoy a 20 per cent reduction in that debt. This is an average saving of $5½ thousand for more than three million Australians. In my electorate of Bean, that means relief for 15,645 students—students like Laura who is entering her final semester at the Australian National University. This is only happening because of a Labor government.”
“They are lost in the wilderness, and motions such as these suggest they have still some way to go to come out the other side.”
“But the most important point is this: when I engage with small businesses in my electorate of Bean, as I do on a regular basis, owners tell me that they really appreciate the support they are receiving, that they know this government has got their back. Forget motions and debates in this place; it's that direct feedback that really matters. The reality is this: we understand small business on this side of the House. We understand the challenges, the struggles and the stress. We have small-business owners across our Labor caucus. Those opposite don't understand. They don't care. This motion is emblematic of much of what we hear from those opposite these days—pointless, tired and missing the point entirely, selling tripe and tropes.”
“You can cut red tape without cutting entitlements for workers or working families. We have elevated the interests of small businesses to the very heart of government decision-making. Last week, Minister Aly convened a small-business roundtable to ensure that the diversity of views of small businesses are heard and that their views are part of the national conversation around economic reform and productivity. These are some of the things we're doing to support small businesses. While we're doing all that, what do those opposite do? When we brought forward a tax cut that benefited 1½ million sole traders across Australia, they opposed it.”
“Let's also talk about the $400 million the government has put forward through the Industry Growth Program to help small businesses to develop, innovate and grow. When times are tough, we are providing targeted and specific support to small businesses and the Australians who work so hard to keep them going. Let's talk about the $25.9 million in funding for supports for the mental health and financial wellbeing of small-business owners through the NewAccess for Small Business Owners program and the Small Business Debt Helpline. This government has the backs of small businesses and small-business owners. All this is underpinned by our National Small Business Strategy. For the first time, our government has brought together the governments of Australia to find efficiencies and cut red tape for small businesses.”
“Let's talk about our efforts to tackle energy costs for small businesses. We continue to deliver targeted energy bill relief and energy efficiency grants. One million small businesses have been able to access up to $800 in bill relief and up to $25,000 in grants to fund energy upgrades. The grant program, in particular, is worth more than $56 million in total. Let's talk about the $33.4 million we've spent to improve payment times for small business, including the overhauled Payment Times Reporting Scheme. Let's talk about the $60 million that's been invested in the digital assistance program, the Cyber Wardens program, the Small Business Cyber Resilience Service and the cyber health check.”
“I want to thank the member for bringing this motion forward because, despite its manifest shortfalls and negative tone, it gives all of us on this side of the House an opportunity to set the record straight about the great work that the Albanese government is doing to support Australian small businesses to grow and thrive. Let's talk about what the government has actually been doing to support small businesses. Over the last three years, our government has provided $2 billion in targeted support for Australian small businesses. This targeted support is there for small business in the good times and the not-so-good times. These supports have been developed through engaging with and listening to small businesses and working with them to deliver what they need. Let's talk about some of those supports.”
“It's been three years, but, in some ways, it seems less than a day—welcome back, Member for Goldstein. It reminds me of the great Arthur Mailey, pre-World-War-II spin bowler, then journalist, then owner of a butchery, who put up a sign on the counter of his store that read: 'I bowled tripe, I wrote tripe and now I sell tripe.' It's been three years, but the same tired, old tripe or tropes are again being placed on the table—anti worker and anti fairness in super. We've heard this before. Nonetheless, I rise to speak to the motion brought forward by the member for Goldstein.”
“Analysis and reporting suggest that in my seat of Bean just over 13,000 workers were missing out on $27 million in super entitlements in the 2022-23 financial year alone. This is unacceptable. Bringing in payday legislation will be good for workers in Bean and around the country. I will always stand up for workers in Bean getting their fair share. Let's get this part of the puzzle done as well. In the 48th Parliament, we have a historic Labor majority and a historic number of women on the government benches, and we have a historic opportunity to make our nation stronger and fairer. That work has already begun, this week. We've heard the first speeches of many members of this parliament who will make a significant contribution to those ongoing efforts, and I also look forward to being part of these efforts in the 48th Parliament.”
“We began to restore balance to workplace relations in our last term, and now, with this bill, penalty rates will be protected. Our government will also be tackling the important issue of payday superannuation as a matter of priority in this term of parliament, with implementation commencing on 1 July 2026 subject to that legislation going through the House. Labor has always been the party of fairness and the party of superannuation, and payday superannuation will be better for both employers and workers, making super payments easier to track and compounding those payments, leaving a larger nest egg for retirement for Australia's workers. This legislation will also help with unpaid superannuation—a scourge for too long.”
“In Bean, that means relief for 15,645 student debts. This bill will give so many of my constituents substantial relief, particularly those early in their work lives in careers critical to the future our nation. This morning, the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025 was introduced. This bill will directly protect an important plank of the living standards of many Australians: penalty rates. We have seen far too much politics going to deliberations and discussions on the wages and conditions of working people. For too long, the living standards of Australian workers were batted around like a political plaything by those opposite when they were in government. In government, they deliberately had a policy that suppressed minimum pay rates and stalled genuine enterprise bargaining.”
“In rejecting the anti-Canberra agenda, the people of Bean also rejected the attacks on Medicare and workers' rights and endorsed our plan to tackle cost-of-living pressures. We are focused on delivering our election commitments to build Australia future, ease cost-of-living pressure and help Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn, and that work has already begun in this place. The Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025 was introduced on Wednesday. What this means is that every Australian with a HECS or other form of student debt such as a TAFE or VET loan will enjoy over the next six months a 20 per cent reduction in that debt. This will amount to an average saving of $5,500 for the more than three million Australians with a HECS or other student debt.”
“Speaker—firstly, congratulations on your re-election as Speaker of this House. You not only did a magnificent job in this place during the 47th Parliament but also did a fine job bringing parliament to the people. Indeed, the students at Sacred Heart in my electorate still talk about your visit. I am humbled that the people of Bean have put their faith in me again to be their representative in this House and that the people of Bean voted to support Labor and the agenda we took to the people at the recent election. The people of Bean rejected an anti-Canberra agenda, a plan which would have seen our public service workforce and the critical services they deliver devastated, with our businesses pushed to the edge.”
“We want to ensure that all Australians have access to reliable, high-quality and affordable telecommunications services supported by strong regulatory and consumer safeguards framework. I commend this bill to the House.”
“Carol Bennett, the CEO of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, said: These reforms will promote increased accountability, transparency and compliance within the telecommunications industry and contribute towards improving diminishing consumer trust in telcos. Luke Coleman, the CEO of the Communications Alliance, said: The alliance has consistently called for stronger enforcement powers for the ACMA, and we welcome this announcement to enhance consumer protections in the telecoms industry. The changes in this bill before the House, complemented by the other measures I've outlined, demonstrate that the Albanese government is committed to putting Australian consumers at the heart of the telecommunications industry.”
“Examples of new measures include minimum requirements for policies and staff training with compliance reporting; prohibiting alleged perpetrator involvement in discussions with the victim-survivor; obligations relating to the privacy, safety and security of accounts; removing the requirements for victim-survivors to provide evidence or tell their story multiple times; and requirements for telcos to recognise domestic and family violence as a potential cause of payment difficulties and to consider the impact of any service suspension or disconnection. Key advocacy groups support these changes.”
“This is just one of the many ways the Albanese government is supporting families with cost-of-living pressures. They are measures that meet the challenges of many Australians, including residents of my electorate of Bean, and I commend the minister's actions in relation to financial hardship. In October 2024, the minister directed the ACMA to develop a new industry standard to ensure telcos better support customers experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. Telecommunication services need to be a safe, secure and reliable avenue for victim-survivors to access information, conduct critical safety planning and seek the support they need to leave a violent situation, as well as remain connected with family members, friends and important social support networks.”
“This makes it mandatory for telcos to better support customers struggling to pay their phone and internet bills. Practical improvements include prioritising keeping customers connected, greater promotion of financial hardship assistance and requiring telcos to offer specific assistance such as payment plans. The standard replaces the rules of financial hardship contained in the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code and provides the ACMA with strong enforcement powers to ensure telcos are following through on their obligations. These new rules will mean telcos have to do all they can to keep customers connected if they are experiencing financial hardship, with disconnection being the last resort. These are practical and commonsense solutions.”
“The introduction of this bill is just another way the government is putting consumers at the centre of the telco industry, recognising the importance of quality telecommunications services for all Australians. The changes to the bill are complemented by other important measures the government has been taking in this space that will be of benefit to consumers. These extra measures include implementing new rules around support provided to consumers experiencing financial hardship and, more recently, directing the ACMA to create rules regarding support for consumers experiencing domestic, sexual and family violence. In response to a direction by the minister, the ACMA developed a financial hardship standard that came into effect on 29 March 2024.”
“The bill will also increase visibility of providers operating in the market, especially telecommunications retailers, through the establishment of a carrier service provider, or CSP, registration scheme. This will allow for more effective regulation of CSPs, including by empowering the ACMA to stop a CSP operating where they've been found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or they've caused significant consumer harm. The significant reforms included in this bill will better equip the ACMA with the tools and powers it needs to protect telco consumers and hold those providers to account. They provide a powerful deterrent. They incentivise telcos to educate themselves about their obligations to consumers and to abide by those obligations, boosting compliance and improving the functioning and fairness of the telecommunications sector.”
“Further changes will allow penalties for codes, standards and determinations to be based on the value of the benefit obtained from the offending conduct or the turnover of the relevant provider, allowing for penalties greater than $10 million in certain circumstances. This penalty framework will incentivise industry compliance and better aligns with those in other relevant sectors, like energy and banking, and under the Australian Consumer Law. To ensure that the ACMA has a range of effective enforcement tools at its disposal, an additional change will expand and clarify the government's ability to increase infringement notice penalty amounts that the ACMA can issue for all applicable breaches, including consumer protection laws.”
“Nobody wants an industry that sees penalties as the cost of doing business. The proposed changes will enable the ACMA to take direct and immediate enforcement action against telecommunications providers that have breached their obligations to customers under industry codes. This will remove the current two-step process whereby the ACMA must first issue a direction to comply to offending telcos, no matter how significant the breach, and only take further action if non-compliance continues. The changes will allow the ACMA to take quick and appropriate action in responses to breaches to immediately address consumer harm and holds telcos to account. The bill will also significantly increase the maximum general penalty for breaches of industry codes and standards under the Telecommunications Act from $250,000 to approximately $10 million.”
“Many Australians, including many in my electorate of Bean, are experiencing significant cost-of-living pressures, and this includes being able to afford critical communication services like mobile and internet services. In addition, there have also been regular high-profile incidents in the telco sector, including significant service outages and claims of irresponsible selling practices across the country. Today, the House is considering this bill, which is designed to better equip the regulator, ACMA, with the tools and powers it needs to protect telco consumers and hold companies to account if they do the wrong thing. These new measures will help to ensure that the ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator and that appropriate incentive structures are in place to drive better behaviour by telcos.”
“When we speak with constituents or when we visit them in their homes, we hear that for so many residents being connected is essential to their work, businesses, health, family and so many facets of modern life—whether they be in Woden, Tharwa, Uriarra or the Molonglo Valley. Accordingly, I want to see—and I know this government wants to ensure—that the telco industry is working for Australians, that it has the best consumer safeguards in place to protect their interest and that there is a strong, clear recourse if telcos do the wrong thing. The bottom line is telco services should enrich people's lives, not cause inconvenience, frustration or harm. Whilst telcos are essential to modern life, we know that the cost of telco services and the treatment of consumers are becoming increasingly important to people.”
“The government, of which I'm proudly a member, understands how critical telco services are for everyone, whether you're a regional member, whether you're a city member, whether you have external territories like Norfolk Island in your electorate or otherwise. It's particularly important for consumers facing vulnerable circumstances and those who rely upon connectivity to support their families and businesses and provide service to their communities. As MPs, we're reminded every day of the centrality of staying connected through telecommunications. One example is the way people communicate with us through social media and the internet generally.”
“I'd also like to put on the record my commendation of the work of the Minister for Communications on this bill and the associated activities to protect consumers in this space. For many people in my electorate of Bean and right across Australia, staying connected is an essential part of everyday life. It's why the allied work ensuring that 40,000 homes in Bean are upgraded to fibre to the premises is so critical. In fact, much of the connectivity disquiet for consumers right across Bean has often been linked to unhappiness about the experience with fibre to the node. Within four years, up to 95 per cent of the electorate of Bean will be able to experience giga-ready speeds rather than speeds around 25 to 28 megabytes per minute.”
“I also rise to speak in favour of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, which will give effect to a number of significant reforms to boost the enforcement powers and penalties available to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, and complement a host of other initiatives the government is taking to better protect consumers. I acknowledge earlier speakers in this debate, including the member for Eden-Monaro, who well understands the importance of this bill. Before going to the content of the bill under consideration, I'll set the scene or background for why I and this government believe that getting these policy settings right is important for the people of Bean and Australians generally.”
“After that, I worked in the labour movement representing Federal Police officers and science and engineering professionals—many in the Public Service. It gave me an insight into the many other forms that public service takes on. I represent members in Services Australia, the DSS and the Department of Health and Aged Care, and they're under threat again. They come to work every day working for the Australian people. They deserve to be honoured, not have their jobs cut.”
“My parents came here in the 1960s to work in the Public Service and play their part in the national story, just like thousands of other Australians who came here and the generations that followed them. They worked in areas of tax, industry, science and the bureau of stats. They played their part in the national story. Like my parents, I worked in the Public Service in the 1990s, for the Department of Industrial Relations, which became the Department of Workplace Relations. I remember the cuts of the Howard government; 30,000 jobs were lost in three years. In my agency, it was one in three. The generational damage that occurred to policy development and program delivery was extraordinary. It took us years to recover. Of course, beyond that, the damage it did to the local economy was extraordinary as well.”
“Under Megan's leadership, Missing School has launched Australia's first national report on chronic school absence through illness, pioneered a world-first school telepresence service to keep kids virtually present in class, and innovated for policy progress. Her work has transformed education access for some of our most vulnerable young Australians. As we begin the 2025 school year, Megan's relentless advocacy reminds us of what can be achieved. If we back policy and technology to end school isolation, we can ensure that no child is left behind.”
“As the co-founder and CEO of Missing School, Megan Gilmour has dedicated more than a decade to ensuring that children with serious medical and mental health challenges stay connected to their learning and peers. Up to one in three children, approximately 1.2 million students, are at risk of missing school for months to years due to complex health issues. These absences can lead to social isolation and have long-term impacts on their opportunities and mental health. Megan's personal experience with the critical illness of her son, Darcy, gave her a front-row seat to the devastating impact of disconnection from school. This led her to establish Missing School in 2012 to bridge the gap between students and their classrooms.”
“It will benefit many families and children in Bean and right across Australia. Don't put these critical reforms at risk. Make sure that they don't go on the chopping block. Support early educators, not just across Bean but right across the country, for the extraordinary work that they do now and for the extraordinary work that they can continue to do across some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country.”
“I'm fortunate in that my family has benefited from access to early education for each of our children, and I want to see that access provided to families right across Bean. I want to make sure that every child gets the best possible start in life. But the truth is that the benefits of these reforms are at risk from those opposite. Free lunches for bosses take priority over cost-of-living relief for early education and care. We know that this is likely to be one of the areas that will be part of the $350 billion of costs that, maybe, the constituents of Bean and the constituents of every electorate across this country will find out about the day after the election. But that's not good enough for the people of Bean. It's not good enough that we put such critical reforms at risk. The new three-day guarantee meets the needs of families today.”
“In 2021, only 54 per cent of children in the most disadvantaged areas were enrolled in early childhood education and care. This compared with 76 per cent of children in the highest socioeconomic areas. These same children are more likely to be developmentally vulnerable. The most recent Australian Early Development Census report found that only 42.7 per cent of children experiencing the highest level of socioeconomic disadvantage were developmentally on track upon starting school, compared with 54.8 per cent of all children. These changes are critical to address this disadvantage. In conclusion, as the member for Bean, which is home to thousands of young families, I'm pleased to speak in support of this bill. I know how critical the work of our early educators is right across Bean.”