PENNY WONG, ACTING LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: Thanks very much for coming. Well the first thing I want to talk about is childcare. We see today in the papers again that under Malcolm Turnbull the cost of childcare, the fees for childcare, are set to spiral 22 per cent increase out to 2019-20.
So under Malcom Turnbull, as part of a Liberal Government who said they would make childcare more accessible and more affordable we see that childcare fees are set to rise by up to 22 per cent over the next few years.
I have one message for Simon Birmingham. Simon, youre the Minister for Education, youre not the Minister for Excuses, so how about stopping all the excuses.
Instead of making excuses to Australian families, why dont you start to explain to Australian families how you are actually going to deliver childcare which is more accessible and more affordable.
Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Why is that unacceptable?
WONG: I think Australian families who are already struggling with the increasing fees for childcare with the increasing difficulty in getting childcare, particularly in Australias inner cities, are not going to be particularly pleased with Malcolm Turnbulls plan to increase childcare fees.
JOURNALIST: What would you do instead?
WONG: We went to the last election with a childcare policy and before the next election you will see Labors childcare policy. We have made very clear our commitment to childcare. All we have seen from Simon Birmingham is more excuses. Simons one of those people who is very good at blaming someone else. It is always someone elses problem. Some past Minister, some past Government.
Well, he is the Minister for Education, he has been that for some time. It is time for him to explain to Australians what he is going to do to make childcare more affordable and more accessible.
JOURNALIST: Are you open to negotiating with the Government?
WONG: Well look we have made it clear we support more investment in childcare. We have made that clear. We have also identified, via Kate Ellis, the concerns that we have about the childcare package which will leave one in three families worse of.
We have got concerns about the activities test, concerns about kids in country areas and about Indigenous kids, and its up to the Government to address those concerns.
But lets remember this. This great big plan which has been a part of the Governments project for a couple of years now hasnt been brought into the Parliament. So next time Simon tries to make excuses remember he hasnt even brought it into the Parliament.
JOURNALIST: So do you think that some people just wouldnt be able to afford this?
WONG: I think that higher fees are going to make it difficult for Australian families who are struggling.
JOURNALIST: In terms of Sussan Ley, do you think it is acceptable that the Prime Minister hasnt come out and said that she should be explaining in full or that he hasnt come out and spoken against her actions?
WONG: Malcolm Turnbull needs to come out of hiding when it comes to Sussan Ley. It is as simple as that. Mr Turnbull needs to come out of hiding. He is the Prime Minister. The standards that he sets for Ministers are his standards. She is his Cabinet Minister. So Malcolm Turnbull needs to explain to the Australian people why he believes Mrs Leys conduct complies with the standards of behaviour for Ministers that he sets.
Now his silence at the moment is utterly unacceptable. We have got revelation after revelation, day after day. The explanation doesnt appear to be adequate. Its up to Mr Turnbull to have the courage to front the Australian people and explain why he believes his Minister has complied with the standards he has set. She is his Minister, they are his standards, he needs to come out of hiding.
JOURNALIST: Do you think it is ok for someone who was up there for work and then on their day off up there they buy a house, is that ok?
WONG: Well I find it pretty difficult to believe, as a lot of people would I suspect, that this was an impulse purchase. But leaving those issues aside, Ministers are not permitted to use public money for personal purposes and Mrs Ley needs to explain why she hasnt done so.