Zoe McKenzie
Flinders · Liberal Party · Australia
“Wet lettuce. That is the official verdict on this government's attempt to prevent harm to Australian kids via social media regulation. 'Wet lettuce' were the exact words the eSafety Commissioner used to describe the reforms a month ago in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.”
“Schedule 1 contains a large number of technical amendments across Commonwealth legislation, while schedule 2 repeals more than 100 obsolete amending acts that no longer have any operative effect.”
“They include amendments affecting the Criminal Code, veterans legislation, radio communications, the Midwife Professional Indemnity Scheme, marine safety legislation, family law, freedom of information and electoral legislation.”
“Too often we have seen legislation introduced in haste, legislation requiring significant correction after introduction or legislation producing unintended consequences because proper scrutiny was lacking. Australians expect better.”
“I rise to speak on the Statute Update Bill 2026. The coalition recognises the important role that the statute update legislation plays in maintaining the quality and integrity of the Commonwealth Statute Book. These bills have long been a feature of good legislative practice.”
“It strengthens parliamentary scrutiny, it improves transparency and it provides confidence that the legislation described as technical does not, inadvertently or otherwise, produce substantive legal change. Good lawmaking is not just about good drafting; it is about careful scrutiny.”
The complete record
Every one of 413 lines we hold for Zoe McKenzie, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 9.
“It's going to impact on communities across the nation and particularly on my own, the Mornington Peninsula. We have at least 1,900 residents who've already reached the threshold, according to research by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia. That's not because the people of the peninsula are particularly wealthy. It's because we've planned ahead, worked hard and put our superannuation into the productive capacity of the nation through small and family businesses, startups, farms, orchards, restaurants—you name it. While the Treasurer claims that his tax will impact only 80,000 people, with over $3 million in their superannuation balances, the truth is that the unintended consequence of its not being indexed is that huge numbers of people will fall into its remit.”
“Labor try to tell you that the inflation rate is not their fault, but the fact that government spending has gone from 24 per cent to 27 per cent of GDP, the highest level outside of a recession since 1986, proves otherwise. Labor have a long track record of economic mismanagement. They tax big; they spend big. True to form, this Treasurer has taken up Labor's longstanding mission to smash the hardworking Australian with increased tax. The Treasurer has brought to this parliament a tax on aspiration and family savings—a tax on hardworking Australians who have worked throughout their lives to set money aside and provide for their futures. It's a big, bad tax targeting your savings and prosperity, and that of your family. It doesn't just target the wealthy, though.”
“In the last quarter alone, it shrank by 0.2 per cent. In my old business, which was about helping Australians use our global network of free trade agreements, I would pay constant regard to our competitiveness ranking. I'm very sad to report that Australia has dropped from 13th to 18th in just one year. In addition, Australia dropped from 20th to 60th place in real GDP growth per capita since last year. Let me repeat: from 20th to 60th. Central to this economic disaster is a steep decline in productivity—a five per cent drop, a full one per cent of which was in the last year alone. As a result of Labor's home-grown inflation, interest rates have been too high for too long in this country.”
“It's as simple as this: receipts are down and spending is up. Unemployment figures are misleadingly held up by government spending and Public Service job creation. It's not building the economy. It's not restoring the fundamentals. It's not building the economic pie for this generation and for the generations that will follow. The unbearable truth for this government is that, under Labor, the household economy is shrinking. Australian households, in terms of purchasing power, are going backwards. The average household is, in fact, in recession. Business investment is depressed, and productivity just continues to fail. Per capita GDP—that is, how much the economy grows for each man, woman and child, the most common yardstick for capturing the living standards of Australians—has grown in one quarter since Labor came to office in 2022.”
“With that encouragement in mind, I shall bring those on their side back to the topic of today, which is the government's addiction to high taxes and, indeed, high spending. We can often be quite delicate in our approach to the MPI some days, and I'm pleased to contribute to this debate in which we are at least calling a spade a spade. This government loves to portray itself as 'Liberal light', especially the Treasurer, and I might now add the Leader of the House to that. He nails his 'Liberal light' blah blah, telling Australians that he's a responsible economic manager, and he does it without choking, not even a cough. It's quite a miracle. But, when you look at the figures, what you see is terrible economic management—indeed, woeful. It's so bad even a 12-year-old could pick it.”
“My medication is sometimes delivered straight to the post office, so, without this branch, getting my medication will be near impossible.' Leanne Megson, a local carer, said to me: 'For me, it's the convenience of having Australia Post close for access, but, for the elderly or disabled, this is their lifeline. Carers take these people out for a social time, and most clients use the post office to get money out, to pay bills or to bank their money. A lot of clients still write letters. They send cards and purchase stamps there. It's also better for parking than McCrae or Rosebud central, as it has access to flat ground when taking clients out and more disability parking.' As more Australians choose to age at home, nearby postal services are essential not just for sending mail but for staying connected and independent.”
“I've heard from seniors, people with disabilities and carers who say this service is vital to staying both independent and connected. Many are writing on behalf of elderly family members and many in their own capacity as a person with a disability or indeed as a senior citizen. One thing is clear: closing this post office will be to the detriment of the Rosebud and Capel Sound community. It will reduce access to postal services for our most vulnerable community members, isolating them, to some extent, from the outside world. Tracy van Lieshout wrote to me: 'I am disabled. I live nearby and cannot drive. I can only use a mobility scooter.”
“According to the 2021 census, we need to do more to look after this age demographic, and expecting our seniors to walk long distances just to get to the post office is not feasible. Residents have expressed concern that surrounding post offices will be unable to absorb the additional demand. Long queues already occur, especially around Christmas, when two million visitors come to the Peninsula, and this decision will make the situation even worse. I have written to Australia Post and the federal Minister for Communications seeking further information and urging them to keep this post office open to maintain local access to essential postal services. Since launching a petition on 17 June, more than 1,300 have people signed.”
“I rise today to fight Australia Post's decision to close the Rosebud Plaza post office on 29 August of this year. This is a disgraceful and most callous decision. The nearest alternative post office is two kilometres away, which may not sound like much to you, Deputy Speaker, and to others in this chamber, but it needs to be taken in the context of Flinders being one of the oldest electorates in the country. Eighty-three per cent of our land mass has no access to any public transport. This closure will make accessing postal services extremely difficult for many residents. Rosebud Plaza is the hub of retail activity on the southern Mornington Peninsula. Almost 30 per cent of residents of Rosebud are aged 65 or over, compared to 17 per cent in the rest of Victoria.”
“And I most especially thank my remarkable electorate and policy team: Julia, Katie, Rocco, Conor, Matthew and, of course, the mighty Unity Paterson. I express my gratitude to our two sensational state MPs: Chris Crewther, who represents the state seat of Mornington—preceded by his great predecessor who I noticed is with us in the gallery tonight—and Sam Groth, who represents the state seat of Nepean, and our vibrant SECs of Hastings, Nepean and Mornington. As the teal movement intentionally muddied the waters between Commonwealth and state, all of us standing strongly together shows how well we work to get things done across constitutional boundaries for our community.”
“My thanks goes to those who stood by me throughout our campaign whose hard voluntary work means I get to stand here and fight for Flinders—my FEC and campaign team led by Georgie and Richard; Di; Phil; Marg and Marshall; our volunteer coordinator, Deb, sustained by Bill and Archie; the ever-present Gordon; Chris; Mike; Greg; Chrestyna; Zahra; Rika; Jackie; Sue; Simone; Germaine; Suzie; John; Henry; Finn; Kate; Anthea and Peter; Amanda; Donna; Tim and Corinne; Peter and Kay; Di and Arthur; Cynthia and Andrew; Eithne; Judy; Mattie; Pam and Peter; Rob; Bryan and Carole; David and Tom; Greg and Paula; Rob; Scarlett and Freddie; Jess and Sam; Angus; Robert and Denise; Peter, the patron saint of the peninsula; Elizabeth; Gerry; Jane; Sam; and Sue and the Camp clan, among so many others.”
“But, above all, I will be in here every day fighting for the good folk of Flinders so that our needs, our perspective, our passions and our purpose are understood by those who make decisions on behalf of the government and whom form plans and policies for the opposition. To finish, I save the best for last.”
“Our drive was sustained by sharing roles on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and our fundamental understanding that social media is not only a danger to the mental health of young people but also a vector for extremism and foreign interference. This term of parliament I will be pursuing many of these issues through the prism of education, early learning and mental health—all related to my key pursuits in the 47th Parliament but now directed to ensuring that this government, that seems to have missed the memo that only 34 per cent of people voted for their return, spends Australian tax dollars wisely and makes adequate fit-for-purpose policy to ensure Australia's safety and prosperity through the lens of these portfolios and my committee contributions.”
“It's looking at ways of leading legislation at the European level to build greater protections for young people. But more importantly is what I heard from the year 6 students at Benton Junior College last week, when I asked them what they thought of the reform. Long gone is the backchat. Half of the students put their hands up and explained to me exactly why it was necessary—to minimise bullying and screen addiction, and improve levels of concentration. This time there was no pushback, and even young people know we're doing them a favour. I'm very proud to have worked with my dear colleague and friend the member for Fisher on this reform.”
“Instagram teen accounts automatically transitions 13- to 17-year-olds to the new, safer platform, and, in a recent conversation with me, TikTok confirmed that they removed 800,000 young people under 13 years of age from their platform in Australia last year. We know the platforms already have the wherewithal both to design safer platforms and to remove participants under a certain age without recourse to proof-of-age or ID mechanisms. Little did I realise what a revolution Australia had inspired in terms of social media regulation until I found myself sought after by both the OECD and the president's advisers on a recent trip to France. France, like Australia, has shown deep interest in regulating the negative impacts of screens and digital media on young people and is working with the UK on possible shared measures.”
“We took evidence across Australian society and heard from sectoral experts, both those involved in the development of social media channels and those who have held them to account, like Frances Haugen, the Meta whistleblower, who accepted my invitation to come to Flinders in March of last year to talk through digital engagement with local secondary school students. The coalition played a leading role in driving the conclusions of that inquiry and the legislation which followed, which will see the most damaging platforms reject accounts for all Australian profiles of under-16-year-olds from the end of this year. It has also spurred action in terms of more responsible social media, with Meta launching Instagram teen accounts within months of the committee's report being finalised.”
“In that speech, I discussed the impact social media was having on young people, and specifically that today's adolescents, connected 24/7 to devices, addled by algorithms and autoplay, were showing signs of stress and, indeed, in some cases, distress. I cited what we were seeing more frequently coming out of Melbourne's eternal COVID-19 lockdown, which was self-control difficulties, impulsivity, family conflict, sleep disturbance, inactivity, concentration impairment and poor language development. I thank the former leader and the former deputy leader, who is now the Leader of the Liberal Party, for trusting me on the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society, which examined in detail the damage which some social media platforms have brought to young minds and young lives in Australia.”
“Those were the critical components of the human operating model, an understanding of the weather and its impact on seeds growing in the earth. Education is derivative of the human need to survive, first and foremost. The skills we need are ones for young people to survive and find purpose. I also asked most witnesses if they could choose between sending their adolescent children to prompt engineering school or law school, which would they choose? Most responded they were relieved their children were still in preschool. I was very grateful for the last term of parliament, albeit frustrated by opposition, and I did not waste a moment in seeking to solve the problems I highlighted in my maiden speech, especially when it concerns the negative aspects of technology.”
“It is an exciting time, but it is also a frightening time. Two years ago, having carefully cajoled the education minister into referring an inquiry into the use of generative AI in the Australian education system to the House of Representatives education committee, I asked every witness: 'What skills do we need to make sure we include in the human operating model going forward? We don't want to wash something out in the haste to generative AI without knowing what we're doing.' A very humbling response came from Dr Michael Kollo, Chief Executive Officer of Evolved Reasoning, who explained that if we were sitting here 150 to 200 years ago, we would be talking about soil concentration, harvest and agricultural topics relating to most of what we did, and 80 per cent of the workforce was out in the fields.”
“A family of means will see each child order their own Uber Eats for dinner. And just when you thought things had got wild, someone went and invented ChatGPT. In my maiden speech I spoke of what felt like 'old person foreboding' at the time. I said: Everyone here should be concerned for a generation which will one day take its place on these green leather benches without having read The Lord of the Flies , 1984 , If This is a Man and To Kill a Mockingbird . Today, our children search out plot summaries and analysis in seconds on ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Mistral—that's if they don't go straight for the movie version on Netflix! We are at a time of vast and dynamic digital change, and it is having a huge impact on the cultural settings which guide Australian's aspirations and decision-making.”
“Media is now known as 'legacy' if it is radio, television or newspapers. It is no longer the source of knowledge of current affairs, with the last University of Canberra media report finding that 50 per cent of people get their news from largely untested social media sources and more than 25 per cent rely only on social media for news. Indeed, back at the turn of the century, there were no such things as smartphones, Facebook, Instagram or even YouTube. The way Australians live and the premises on which their aspirations are built are affected by broad behavioural and cultural developments driven by technology. In my maiden speech, I spoke of the differences between my childhood and that of my stepchildren. We would wait for Countdown and haggle over what was for dinner. Today children watch what they want when they want.”
“And now we hold just 2 of 43 inner metro seats, and 7 of 45 outer metro seats. When I first worked in this building, during the era of the Howard government, we held 80 seats compared with today's 43, and the number of women in our party room was double the number we have today. We have much work to do to regain the trust of the Australian voting public. Much has changed since the time when I first worked in this building. Housing now costs roughly 16 times the average annual income, putting the dream of homeownership, on which the Australian social and economic contract is founded, beyond reach. Homelessness now numbers more than 120,000 compared to 95,000 at the turn of the century. Manufacturing no longer employs well over a million Australians; we have become a services oriented economy.”
“Without wishing too much ill will on the current member for Menzies in but his second parliamentary week in the role, I hope you enjoy an effective but short-lived experience in this place, for both my party and our country needs my best friend back. I recognise, as I have said elsewhere, we have much to do, as a political cause, to regain the trust of the Australian people not just in Menzies, but across the nation—and especially in our metropolitan centres. As the Leader of the Opposition said so clearly in her first address to the nation via the National Press Club: Over two elections, the Coalition has lost 33 seats in the House of Representatives. We've lost 8 seats in the Senate. Our primary vote has fallen by more than 9 per cent in the House. Our two-party preferred vote is down more than 6 per cent.”
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to keep fighting for my community, and I recognise that many of my colleagues from the last parliament are no longer here to fight for theirs. We have lost a depth of talent from our parliamentary benches—the likes of David Coleman, James Stevens, Bridget Archer, Jenny Ware, Peter Dutton, Luke Howarth, Ross Vasta, Bert van Manen and, indeed, my best friend in this place, Keith Wolahan, the former member for Menzies. I have deep respect for so many of my colleagues in this place, both on the left and right of the dispatch box, but my esteem for the former member for Menzies was without par. And I can say, by the way in which members of this place of all political persuasions have made comment to me, his competence and potential impact in this place was recognised by all.”
“I recognise the frustration of my constituents that the election result denies my community immediate access to these improvements, which were carefully costed and included in the plans of a future coalition government, but I can assure them I am doing everything in my power to see these commitments funded and, the week after the election result was known, I met with the shire and our local state MPs to look at alternative sources of funding. I've also written to all relevant ministers in the Australian government, seeking their support for these critical investments in our community infrastructure. I've met with all the groups who would've benefited from these commitments, to map out future collective campaigning activity to keep these projects front of mind. Together, we will keep fighting.”
“The 25c reduction in excise duty would have been game changing in my electorate, where 83 per cent of our terrain has no access to public transport. These commitments build upon the billions of dollars of investment which the coalition has made in Flinders over the last five years, including road safety and pedestrian improvements on the Nepean Highway in Mount Martha and in Balnarring; the building of the Bays Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the clinical trials hub in Rosebud; mental health support through increased headspace centres, the Jimmy's Wellness Centre, Kindred Clubhouse and the Rosebud Youth Hub; and the redevelopment of HMAS Cerberus .”
“The differences between Labor and Liberal were stark in terms of commitment to meeting the needs of my community of Flinders at the last election. The ALP made commitments of some $3 million, and I thank them for these investments and hope the government will in fact fulfil them, even though they were not successful in Flinders. The Liberal Party I represent made almost $1 billion worth of commitments to the people of Flinders, including new change facilities for girls at Crib Point and Sorrento football and netball clubs, wellness and mental health support to our veterans through the Rosebud RSL, an extension of the Mornington Peninsula Trail, the fixing of the roof at the Somerville Scout Hall and improved public transport through the electrification of the Baxter rail.”
“Australia's democracy is one of the best in the world but will only remain so with an informed voter base. To that end, civics education is essential to ensure young and older Australians alike understand basic concepts about Australian democracy and institutions. Not only does it help them to make sensible decisions in terms of electing candidates of competence when it comes to fulfilling their functions of parliament and executive office; it also will defend them against foreign interference, extremism, conspiracy theories and misinformation when it comes to public debate. I am so grateful to the Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley, for offering me the opportunity to apply myself to education policy and, within it, civics education through the role of shadow assistant minister for education.”
“I thank Crib Point Primary School, Rosebud Primary School, Somerville Primary School, Tootgarook Primary School, Mount Eliza Primary School, Somerville Secondary College, Hastings Primary School, Woodleigh School, Sorrento Primary School and Benton Junior College, who have all had me in to deliver a version of 'democracy class'—even in French, as I did at Peninsula Grammar, just for fun! I find that, in every 'democracy class', children respond with enthusiasm and curiosity, keen to understand how we make decisions that will affect their future. I thank the students of Benton Junior College who last week quizzed me on e-bike laws, electric scooters and road rules, as well as public transport, the education system, social media and generative AI. We need to maintain this level of inquiry from grade 6 through to university and beyond.”
“In February of this year, the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority found that the 2024 assessment revealed that, at years 6 and 10, the percentage of students achieving the 'proficient' standard had declined significantly compared to the previous cycle. In fact, ACARA chairman Derek Scott warned us all: … this is the lowest percentage of students achieving the proficient standard at either year level since the assessment began. ACARA found that just 28 per cent of year 10 students met the proficiency standards, compared to 38 per cent when the last test was taken, in 2019. Students in year 6 had also declined 10 points in terms of proficiency—from 53 per cent in 2019 to 43 per cent rated 'proficient' in 2024. This is why I spend so much time delivering what I refer to as 'democracy class' in my electorate.”
“Our electorate was vastly misled by a Climate 200 candidate making promises he could never keep, confusing the competence of Canberra with council and state governments alike and, in doing so, increasing the likelihood that those governments will continue to ignore the needs of our local community, a dangerous development as we approach the state election at the end of next year with potentially critical repercussions for our residents. But that this can happen is, in fact, our source of shame. We have allowed Australian civics education to reach its lowest level in two decades.”
“A $2 million campaign in Flinders, one of the highest-spending anywhere in the country, not only introduced American-style campaigning and cash into our electorate but also sought to deceive the people of Flinders in terms of what a crossbench candidate can achieve. Let it be stated clearly here for the record that a crossbench candidate cannot 'save' a local hospital which is wholly regulated and owned by the state government. A crossbench candidate cannot ban jet skis off the coast of the Mornington Peninsula. A crossbench candidate cannot change parking practices alongside a small local public primary school.”
“It is only the parties of government which get to form government, to make the policy which drives this nation and to hold the elected government to account for their decisions and the expenditure of taxpayers' money. It is only the parties of government which understand the difficulty inherent in governing—the need for consultation, negotiation and compromise to reach the best possible outcome for the nation. It is, indeed, when the parties of government collaborate that Australia gets much of its best public policy, as evidenced this week with the passing of legislation earlier today on education relating to early learning and childcare safety.”
“There were 24,406 electors who voted for this movement in Flinders this time and, as a result of the creative deals done with the anarchist candidate, the Greens candidate, the Trumpet of Patriots and, indeed, attempted with One Nation, the Climate 200 candidate moved into second place, despite coming third in primary votes. This was a tactic pursued by the Climate 200 camp around the country, and its success in some seats is a stark message to those of us who represent the parties of government and who defend the integrity of our electoral system. It is only the parties of government which can implement their promises to an electorate.”
“Similarly, the state seat of Nepean, which, unlike the state seats of Hastings and Mornington, has always fallen entirely within the borders of the federal seat of Flinders, was the state Labor government's most marginal seat between 2018 and 2022, held by a margin of just 0.9 per cent or 767 votes. So, when the good folk of Flinders make a decision between left and right at the ballot box, it is fair to say that they do so with experience of both sides of government. They have less experience, however, with the candidates who today comprise part of the crossbench in this place, formed and funded by the Climate 200 movement.”
“Flinders is without a doubt the most beautiful electorate in the country. Her residents are defined by their entrepreneurial spirit, volunteerism and community concern for one another. She should be hard fought over and hard won, and she was indeed this time. Flinders is regularly characterised as an electorate which always votes for the more conservative side of politics, but this is a false representation. It should be remembered that Flinders has had at least two ALP members in the past, with the election of Bob Chynoweth from March 1983 to December 1984 and Keith Ewert between October 1952 and May 1954.”
“I worked with Sarah for years as she served on the Mornington Peninsula council, pursuing her passion for gender and Indigenous causes, and I trust she will continue to have an impact in that domain through her work with the good senator. I take a moment here to recognise her and her campaign companion in chief, member of the Victorian Legislative Council Tom McIntosh, who both acted in good grace, passion and honesty through the campaign and most especially through the prepoll period. I recognise and thank all other candidates for their participation in the election: Mike Brown of One Nation, Jason Smart of the Trumpets, later an Independent, Adam Frogley of Heidelberg for the Greens, Joseph Toscano of Brunswick, spokesperson of the Anarchist Media Institute, and Ben Smith as the Climate 200 funded candidate.”
“I rise today to express my profound thanks to the people of the electorate of Flinders for re-electing me to represent them in the Australian parliament on 3 May. The election in Flinders was hard fought, with seven candidates representing the Liberal Party—that's me—the Labor Party, the Greens, One Nation, Climate 200 and the Trumpet of Patriots, although the Trumpet of Patriots candidate gave up his commission when he realised his preferences were going to the Climate 200 candidate. I thank the good folk of Flinders for their trust—47,375 constituents put a '1' next to my mine. The second-highest number of primary votes, 25,622, went to the Australian Labor Party candidate, Sarah Race, who has continued to pursue her passion for democracy as an electorate officer of Senator Jana Stewart, based in Reservoir.”
“We stand ready to work with the government, the states and territories and the sector itself to build a stronger, safer early education system—one that parents can trust and children can thrive in and one that reflects the values of care, safety and excellence that every Australian child deserves.”
“As the opposition leader said here in question time last week: I can't think of many issues in my time in this parliament that have made me feel as physically sick as this one has, and I know this feeling is shared by members across the aisle. There is a lot of good work being done in services across Australia, and the vast majority of educators are dedicated, hard-working professionals who care deeply about the children in their care every day. No parent should ever have to ask whether their child is safe in child care. No child should ever suffer harm in a place that is meant to nurture them, and no government should ever respond to tragedy with half-measures or delay.”
“The national model code for taking images or videos of children while providing early childhood education and care, developed by the national regulator, is currently voluntary. These are basic commonsense measures. In times of crisis, Australians don't want politics. They want to see us unified. On this issue, from the outset, we have worked constructively with the government and will continue to do so. As the Leader of the Opposition pledged at the National Press Club, the coalition will always stand up for the safety of women and children. Their safety is above politics, and we will not play any games.”
“There is no justifiable reason to delay urgent national coordination on child safety. Parents are watching. They are worried, and they want action now, not in the better part of two months since the Victorian allegations were on the front page of every Australian newspaper. The meeting of ministers should focus on key priorities, including speeding up the implementation of a national register of early educators and harmonising the working with children check system, which lacks standardisation and only identifies those whose behaviour has resulted in a conviction. I know this matter has been taken up by my colleague the shadow attorney-general, the member for Berowra, with his counterpart. They also need to look at implementing a mobile phone ban.”
“The next meeting of state and territory education ministers is not scheduled until the middle of August. That is still weeks away. Given the severity of the crimes alleged in Victoria, the deep concern of Australian parents and the broad outcry in the public media, including in today's papers, that crime has gone unheeded and unpunished, a few weeks is still far too long to wait. I trust that the Minister for Early Childhood Education in the other place has been in constant communication with her state and territory colleagues, as I have been with the shadow minister for early childhood and education in Victoria, Ms Jess Wilson, since the revelations in Victoria were made. I ask the government to consider bringing this meeting forward and then to set regular meetings of early childhood ministers.”
“Former prime minister Morrison delivered a national apology address on behalf of all Australians and established the National Redress Scheme to compensate and support survivors, the National Office for Child Safety, and the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse to increase understanding of the impacts of child sexual abuse on victims and survivors. Confronting heinous and unthinkable crimes against children is the responsibility of all governments and all parliamentarians and requires all leaders to work together. This is another moment for national leadership. While the Commonwealth Department of Education has done what it can in terms of instituting processes relating to regulation safety, we remain concerned about the pace of activity in leading the states and territories to do their part.”
“We cannot allow vague discretion to become the enemy of due process or natural justice. What's needed is clarity of a timely nature for providers, parents and the public. We acknowledge that the work of keeping children safe will, in fact, never be done. It is a daily obligation on all of us. When we were in government we did not sit on our hands. In particular, we accepted and took seriously our response to the Commonwealth targeted recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.”
“I am grateful to the sector for the guidance they have provided to the coalition on questions requiring greater clarification to ensure providers can meet the changes set out in this legislation, such as that, while the legislation empowers the secretary to revoke a provider's approval, it does not provide a clear definition of what constitutes 'persistent' noncompliance and nor does it spell out how many breaches are too many or whether a single serious incident will suffice. These are not minor details, not for people running centres. They are the difference between a system that is fair and effective and one that is opaque and unpredictable. We understand that a new national compliance framework is in development and we will assess it carefully when it becomes available.”
“While we acknowledge that there are concerns about potential duplication of Commonwealth and state and territory responsibilities for conducting compliance visits to childcare centres, the Department of Education has provided assurances that it will be working in collaboration with states and territories. The minister cannot allow this to become an overall reduction in the important quality and safety work which rests with the state and territory regulators. It will act as a deterrent. If providers know there's a greater chance of a government official walking in at any time, the incentive to always do the right thing increases. We do appreciate that this bill has been prepared with haste, and we note that there are still questions to be answered.”
“Unsurprisingly, there have been reports of some providers using that notice period to clean up the books, scrub records and present a false front to regulators. With this bill, that should change. Officials will be able to walk into a centre unannounced, like state regulators already can, and observe what's happening on the ground, not to conduct a criminal investigation but to conduct spot checks, check documentation, verify working-with-children checks and to also flag with state regulators any concerns, such as that basic safety and hygiene standards are not being met. This isn't about catching people out for the sake of it; it's about safeguarding integrity and restoring rigour and faith in a $16 billion annual program and giving parents the peace of mind they deserve.”
“One of the most meaningful elements of this legislation is the new power for unannounced visits to childcare centres by persons authorised by the secretary under the act. This is a significant departure from current arrangements. The Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act enables entry to premises for monitoring either with consent or under a warrant. I am advised by the department's officials that, until now, the practice has been that the department would give up to two weeks notice before visiting services and, when they did go, they were accompanied by the Australian Federal Police. This largely reflects the fact that entry was sought to asses the financial integrity of the childcare subsidy rather than the safety and quality in ECEC settings.”
“This is a critical step in building transparency and builds on the work that the coalition did in government to strengthen transparency and make information available to parents, especially quality ratings available on the Starting Blocks website. We agree that parents have a right to know whether the service caring for their child has a history of breaches or disciplinary action. By shining a light on poor practice, we not only empower parents; we drive up standards across the board. The secretary will also be able to publicise suspensions and cancellations, as well as any conditions imposed on a provider or any refusal to expand or vary earlier approvals and the reasons why. Infringement notices will also be able to be issued, including the details of the notice, contraventions and any levied fines.”