Community News & Speeches – Page 4

14 Feb | '2025

Labor’s only guarantee for child care: uncertainty

The Albanese Government’s political games in parliament this fortnight has reinforced Labor’s complete neglect of Australia’s early childhood education system, creating uncertainty for providers, educators and families. Since coming to power, Labor’s early childhood education policies have completely failed families on every front, and in a desperate attempt to create a legacy, the Albanese Labor Government has now rammed through changes that will make life harder for working families. Contrary to Labor’s claims, its ‘Three Day Guarantee’ will not increase access or equity for children. Rather, it will achieve the opposite.

13 Feb | '2025

Moncrieff Electorate

It’s quite hard to believe that we’re nearing the end of the 47th parliament. It seems like yesterday that I came to this place in 2019 and again in 2022, and I’m very proud to be the member for Moncrieff and advocate for you, my community, and, of course, for the Liberal National Party values of equality of opportunity, reward for effort and freedom of association and conscience.

13 Feb | '2025

Cost of Living

Australian families do not believe the Prime Minister when he says that they’ll be better off under Labor again. Aussies are not mugs. They know they’ve been fooled once, but it won’t be twice. His promises that life will be easy have simply not come true.

12 Feb | '2025

Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025

Early childhood education is an essential service that families rely on to study, to work and to pay the household bills. That’s how the minister introduced her bill last week. And I must say, I found myself agreeing profusely with that statement, as that is exactly why this legislation should be voted down.

11 Feb | '2025

Private Members Business: Child Care

Over three years ago, those opposite promised Australians that life would be cheaper under Labor and, in those three years: interest rates have increased a massive 12 times; energy bills, not down by $275 but up by $1,000; living standards for Australians have collapsed by almost nine per cent; 27,000 businesses have gone insolvent—the most ever; and a family with a typical mortgage has spent an additional $50,000 on their interest payments.

11 Feb | '2025

TRANSCRIPT – SKY NEWS NEWSDAY WITH KIERAN GILBERT

KIERAN GILBERT:

Let’s bring in Liberal frontbencher Angie Bell. Thanks for your time. Last time you were in office, Joe Hockey as Ambassador successfully lead the effort to carve out an exemption. Do you think we can get it done again this time?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, you’re right. Joe Hockey was an excellent Ambassador for the Coalition to the United States. This is a test for Ambassador Rudd and also for Anthony Albanese’s leadership. This is crunch time for the government, and let’s see if they can negotiate as well as the Coalition did when we were in government.

5 Feb | '2025

Child Care

The Prime Minister promised Australia cheaper child care. He promised a pay rise for 200,000 educators by the end of the year. But just like all of his other promises, like no changes to superannuation, no changes to the stage 3 tax cuts and—who can forget?—cheaper power bills, he has failed to deliver for Australians. Under Labor, the cost of child care has risen by 22.3 per cent, and the latest inflation data shows that, since Labor’s changes to the child-care subsidy, out-of-pocket fees have skyrocketed by 12.7 per cent.

3 Feb | '2025

TRANSCRIPT – SKY NEWS NEWSDAY WITH KIERAN GILBERT

KIERAN GILBERT:

Welcome back to the program. Joining me now is the Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Angie Bell. Angie, big focus in your space this week. Jason Clare is talking about introducing or expediting the bill, which would remove the activity test for three days of child care for those that work or don’t work, study or don’t study, the activity test will essentially be gone. What’s your position on it, given the speed with which the government is acting on this?

28 Jan | '2025

Coalition will deliver for Mermaid Beach

The Mermaid Beach community called for an upgrade and, if elected, the Coalition will deliver. A Dutton-led Coalition government will continue the Coalition’s strong track record of delivering for the Gold Coast with funding secured to revamp the Mermaid Beach Bowls Club.

28 Jan | '2025

TRANSCRIPT – ABC RADIO SYDNEY BREAKFAST WITH CRAIG REUCASSEL

CRAIG REUCASSEL:

Well as you might remember, last week I spoke to Kirsten Drysdale as part of our misinformation segment. She was very angry. She’s on the committee of a small not for profit community child care center, and they were really struggling with getting access to the government’s pay rise for early childhood educators. Here’s how she explained the process.