27th Oct 2022, 10:46 AM – Representatives Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022 - Second Reading - Concerns about Government's spending commitments

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with an amendment introduced by Moncrieff MP Angie Bell (LNP), which means it failed.

Note that this is an amendment to a second reading motion, which means that it would have no legal force even if it had succeeded. Instead, these types of motions are symbolic and represent the will of the House majority.

Note also that "to give a bill a second reading" is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with its main idea.

Motion text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes that this bill does nothing to address broader challenges for access to child care in Australia, namely:

(a) child care service gaps in regional Australia; and

(b) early childhood education and care workforce shortages which are preventing families from accessing the care they need;

(2) notes that the Government's child care package, which costs $4.5 billion, does not add one additional child care place;

(3) notes that child care providers have already increased fees since the Government came to office and the additional demand placed on child care services as a result of this bill will put further inflationary pressure on fees;

(4) calls on the Government to ensure that the promised savings for families will not be eroded by higher fees due to the additional demand for child care services as a result of this bill; and

(5) notes that the bill commits to higher ongoing structural spending and calls on the Government to manage its spending commitments to improve the budget while standing by their promise to deliver legislated targeted income tax relief"