Buoyant Albanese plots next phase of Labor dynasty

The Advertiser

4 days ago

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a greater role for the government in childcare as he prepares to push through legislation tightening up the sector following horrifying allegations of child abuse at Melbourne early learning centres.
Universal affordable childcare was identified by the prime minister during the recent federal election as the one reform he'd most want to be remembered for.
But the accusations levelled against Joshua Brown, whose 70 counts of alleged abuse, including child rape, have raised concerns that the rapid expansion of government subsidies into the sector has not been met with a commensurate increase in safety and scrutiny.
"Well, it reinforces why you need a stronger commonwealth role in childcare," Mr Albanese said when asked by AAP whether the case had changed his views on how his universal childcare ambition should be enacted.
Commentators have criticised the current model of handing subsidies to for-profit providers, arguing the incentive to cut costs and boost margins sacrifices standards and oversight.
When asked whether he envisaged the sector being run more like public schools, Mr Albanese said "we'll see how that evolves".
"I think it makes sense to have co-location of childcare centres wherever possible in schools. It is just a practical thing to be done.
"If you're starting again you would completely have co-location of child care.
"I know as a parent, we had a public school in our street but we had to send our son to a different school that was driving distance - a short drive - but the next nearest school, because they had after school care.
"That's something that people across the board feel as well - that convenience - and that's part of the productivity agenda."
But first, Education Minister Jason Clare will introduce legislation giving his department powers to conduct spot checks and pull funding from childcare centres deemed to be consistently failing safety and quality standards.
It's one of four priorities Mr Albanese identified for his first sitting fortnight back in parliament since his swingeing election win.
From Tuesday, the government will also push forward legislation cutting student debt by 20 per cent and enshrine penalty rates into law.
The fourth priority, Mr Albanese, said will be seeing Labor's 24 new members sworn in and ensuring they all participate fully towards the government's long term goals.
"I'm feeling very energised about parliament coming back and seeing the outcome of the election in real form," he said.
"You need to deliver for people what they need in order to then have the legitimacy to push forward on longer term changes."
The prime minister was feeling buoyant as he flew back from a successful six-day tour of China, where he balanced tensions over Chinese military build-up and a mutual desire to strengthen economic ties.
Amid coalition criticism that he had failed to deliver enough tangible outcomes, Mr Albanese hit back that they didn't understand how patiently nurturing the relationship would pay dividends in the long-term.
Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor's clumsy comments that Australia should be "prepared to act" alongside the US in conflict with China over Taiwan broke with the bipartisan "One China" policy in support of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Mr Albanese said.
His eye is on a Labor dynasty to carve out a positive future for Australia in a challenging region.
"One of the things we're very determined to do is to have long-term Labor government in Australia so that we can implement the long-term changes that Australia needs.
"The world is changing fast and you can either shape that change or it will shape you."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a greater role for the government in childcare as he prepares to push through legislation tightening up the sector following horrifying allegations of child abuse at Melbourne early learning centres.
Universal affordable childcare was identified by the prime minister during the recent federal election as the one reform he'd most want to be remembered for.
But the accusations levelled against Joshua Brown, whose 70 counts of alleged abuse, including child rape, have raised concerns that the rapid expansion of government subsidies into the sector has not been met with a commensurate increase in safety and scrutiny.
"Well, it reinforces why you need a stronger commonwealth role in childcare," Mr Albanese said when asked by AAP whether the case had changed his views on how his universal childcare ambition should be enacted.
Commentators have criticised the current model of handing subsidies to for-profit providers, arguing the incentive to cut costs and boost margins sacrifices standards and oversight.
When asked whether he envisaged the sector being run more like public schools, Mr Albanese said "we'll see how that evolves".
"I think it makes sense to have co-location of childcare centres wherever possible in schools. It is just a practical thing to be done.
"If you're starting again you would completely have co-location of child care.
"I know as a parent, we had a public school in our street but we had to send our son to a different school that was driving distance - a short drive - but the next nearest school, because they had after school care.
"That's something that people across the board feel as well - that convenience - and that's part of the productivity agenda."
But first, Education Minister Jason Clare will introduce legislation giving his department powers to conduct spot checks and pull funding from childcare centres deemed to be consistently failing safety and quality standards.
It's one of four priorities Mr Albanese identified for his first sitting fortnight back in parliament since his swingeing election win.
From Tuesday, the government will also push forward legislation cutting student debt by 20 per cent and enshrine penalty rates into law.
The fourth priority, Mr Albanese, said will be seeing Labor's 24 new members sworn in and ensuring they all participate fully towards the government's long term goals.
"I'm feeling very energised about parliament coming back and seeing the outcome of the election in real form," he said.
"You need to deliver for people what they need in order to then have the legitimacy to push forward on longer term changes."
The prime minister was feeling buoyant as he flew back from a successful six-day tour of China, where he balanced tensions over Chinese military build-up and a mutual desire to strengthen economic ties.
Amid coalition criticism that he had failed to deliver enough tangible outcomes, Mr Albanese hit back that they didn't understand how patiently nurturing the relationship would pay dividends in the long-term.
Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor's clumsy comments that Australia should be "prepared to act" alongside the US in conflict with China over Taiwan broke with the bipartisan "One China" policy in support of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Mr Albanese said.
His eye is on a Labor dynasty to carve out a positive future for Australia in a challenging region.
"One of the things we're very determined to do is to have long-term Labor government in Australia so that we can implement the long-term changes that Australia needs.
"The world is changing fast and you can either shape that change or it will shape you."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a greater role for the government in childcare as he prepares to push through legislation tightening up the sector following horrifying allegations of child abuse at Melbourne early learning centres.
Universal affordable childcare was identified by the prime minister during the recent federal election as the one reform he'd most want to be remembered for.
But the accusations levelled against Joshua Brown, whose 70 counts of alleged abuse, including child rape, have raised concerns that the rapid expansion of government subsidies into the sector has not been met with a commensurate increase in safety and scrutiny.
"Well, it reinforces why you need a stronger commonwealth role in childcare," Mr Albanese said when asked by AAP whether the case had changed his views on how his universal childcare ambition should be enacted.
Commentators have criticised the current model of handing subsidies to for-profit providers, arguing the incentive to cut costs and boost margins sacrifices standards and oversight.
When asked whether he envisaged the sector being run more like public schools, Mr Albanese said "we'll see how that evolves".
"I think it makes sense to have co-location of childcare centres wherever possible in schools. It is just a practical thing to be done.
"If you're starting again you would completely have co-location of child care.
"I know as a parent, we had a public school in our street but we had to send our son to a different school that was driving distance - a short drive - but the next nearest school, because they had after school care.
"That's something that people across the board feel as well - that convenience - and that's part of the productivity agenda."
But first, Education Minister Jason Clare will introduce legislation giving his department powers to conduct spot checks and pull funding from childcare centres deemed to be consistently failing safety and quality standards.
It's one of four priorities Mr Albanese identified for his first sitting fortnight back in parliament since his swingeing election win.
From Tuesday, the government will also push forward legislation cutting student debt by 20 per cent and enshrine penalty rates into law.
The fourth priority, Mr Albanese, said will be seeing Labor's 24 new members sworn in and ensuring they all participate fully towards the government's long term goals.
"I'm feeling very energised about parliament coming back and seeing the outcome of the election in real form," he said.
"You need to deliver for people what they need in order to then have the legitimacy to push forward on longer term changes."
The prime minister was feeling buoyant as he flew back from a successful six-day tour of China, where he balanced tensions over Chinese military build-up and a mutual desire to strengthen economic ties.
Amid coalition criticism that he had failed to deliver enough tangible outcomes, Mr Albanese hit back that they didn't understand how patiently nurturing the relationship would pay dividends in the long-term.
Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor's clumsy comments that Australia should be "prepared to act" alongside the US in conflict with China over Taiwan broke with the bipartisan "One China" policy in support of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Mr Albanese said.
His eye is on a Labor dynasty to carve out a positive future for Australia in a challenging region.
"One of the things we're very determined to do is to have long-term Labor government in Australia so that we can implement the long-term changes that Australia needs.
"The world is changing fast and you can either shape that change or it will shape you."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a greater role for the government in childcare as he prepares to push through legislation tightening up the sector following horrifying allegations of child abuse at Melbourne early learning centres.
Universal affordable childcare was identified by the prime minister during the recent federal election as the one reform he'd most want to be remembered for.
But the accusations levelled against Joshua Brown, whose 70 counts of alleged abuse, including child rape, have raised concerns that the rapid expansion of government subsidies into the sector has not been met with a commensurate increase in safety and scrutiny.
"Well, it reinforces why you need a stronger commonwealth role in childcare," Mr Albanese said when asked by AAP whether the case had changed his views on how his universal childcare ambition should be enacted.
Commentators have criticised the current model of handing subsidies to for-profit providers, arguing the incentive to cut costs and boost margins sacrifices standards and oversight.
When asked whether he envisaged the sector being run more like public schools, Mr Albanese said "we'll see how that evolves".
"I think it makes sense to have co-location of childcare centres wherever possible in schools. It is just a practical thing to be done.
"If you're starting again you would completely have co-location of child care.
"I know as a parent, we had a public school in our street but we had to send our son to a different school that was driving distance - a short drive - but the next nearest school, because they had after school care.
"That's something that people across the board feel as well - that convenience - and that's part of the productivity agenda."
But first, Education Minister Jason Clare will introduce legislation giving his department powers to conduct spot checks and pull funding from childcare centres deemed to be consistently failing safety and quality standards.
It's one of four priorities Mr Albanese identified for his first sitting fortnight back in parliament since his swingeing election win.
From Tuesday, the government will also push forward legislation cutting student debt by 20 per cent and enshrine penalty rates into law.
The fourth priority, Mr Albanese, said will be seeing Labor's 24 new members sworn in and ensuring they all participate fully towards the government's long term goals.
"I'm feeling very energised about parliament coming back and seeing the outcome of the election in real form," he said.
"You need to deliver for people what they need in order to then have the legitimacy to push forward on longer term changes."
The prime minister was feeling buoyant as he flew back from a successful six-day tour of China, where he balanced tensions over Chinese military build-up and a mutual desire to strengthen economic ties.
Amid coalition criticism that he had failed to deliver enough tangible outcomes, Mr Albanese hit back that they didn't understand how patiently nurturing the relationship would pay dividends in the long-term.
Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor's clumsy comments that Australia should be "prepared to act" alongside the US in conflict with China over Taiwan broke with the bipartisan "One China" policy in support of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Mr Albanese said.
His eye is on a Labor dynasty to carve out a positive future for Australia in a challenging region.
"One of the things we're very determined to do is to have long-term Labor government in Australia so that we can implement the long-term changes that Australia needs.
"The world is changing fast and you can either shape that change or it will shape you."