Federal Budget

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister update the house on the impact of the Abbott government's budget on early childhood education and care?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for the Public Sector) (14:58): I thank the member for this question. After a long campaign by the state government, I am pleased to advise the house that there is some good news for parents and preschoolers in this budget, with funding for the Universal Access program being extended for two years. This program ensures that our preschoolers receive 15 hours of preschool a week in the year before full-time schooling.

As I have said on numerous occasions, there is extensive research that shows that the first years of a child's life are the most important years in their development and that quality early education sets children up for their formal education in the years that follow. The former minister and I have been arguing for the continued commitment by the federal government to this vital program, and I am pleased to see that the federal Treasurer has listened to these arguments and has made provision to continue the program into the future, albeit only, at this stage, for two years. We will continue to campaign for a long-term commitment to the funding of preschool and hope that the federal government do not leave it until moments before this funding agreement expires to discover a continued interest in the education of our preschoolers.

Sadly, last night's budget is not all good news for children in South Australia. As I feared, this budget locks in minister Pyne's $335 million cut to our Gonski agreement. Given the number of other backflips the federal government has made in recent times, I had hoped that the federal member for Sturt would back out of this hugely detrimental broken promise, but it appears that he is content to see $1,280 per student, or the equivalent of 3,000 teachers, taken away from the future of our South Australian education system.

Unfortunately, there is more bad news for parents on low incomes, with childcare support cut from 24 hours to 12 hours per week. This will mean that our most disadvantaged children will receive the least amount of quality child care, which plays an important role in the child's development and is often crucial in helping parents to look for work.

Additionally, it would appear that minister Morrison has cut funding for the childcare regulators by 33 per cent from 1 July this year. This would be such a senseless cut at a time when the regulator is taking important compliance action. I wrote to minister Morrison on 19 March this year to warn him against making cuts in this area and I will be seeking assurances from him that this has not occurred as a result of this budget. South Australian families can be reassured that we will continue to campaign for the federal government to restore the funding and ensure that our children get the best possible start in life.