Lisa Singh

Serious flaws remain in the child care sector due to the Turnbull Government's refusal to listen to advice from experts in the sector, Senator Lisa Singh said following the Senate passing the Governments Childcare package late last night in the Senate.

"The Senate has passed the Government’s child care changes without fixing its serious flaws.

"The Government has rejected expert and long-standing advice to preserve access to a minimum of two days care for vulnerable Australian children. Instead it has halved this to one day minimum care.

“Experts in the sector have called for the bill to be blocked in its entirety if this problem was not fixed.

"This is deeply concerning and shameful of the government to ignore evidence from early education experts presented to them time and time again over the last two years.

Labor Senator for Tasmania Lisa Singh spoke on the Bill last night in the Senate:

“These current changes will halve the access that children from vulnerable and disadvantaged families get from two days to one day.

“It will have a devastating effect on the youngest and the most vulnerable Australians. We know from all the research that the early years of a child's life are the most critical. Those years from zero to seven are crucial for their educational development, for their intellect and for their wellbeing, and yet this is the very area that this government wishes to halve.”

"This was a wasted opportunity and sends Australia backwards on early education for our most in need children.

"The government has turned its back on Australia’s most vulnerable children."

For senator Singh's full speech on this bill go here.

FRIDAY, 24 MARCH 2017