Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (11:39): I rise to speak on the Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021 on behalf of the Greens. From the outset I'd like to indicate that the Greens will support the referral to the inquiry so that the extensive issues with the legislation can be given due consideration, as Senator McAllister just told us in very clear terms.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said reports that the Coalition government is considering a boost to childcare funding are welcome, but early learning must be made universal and free.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Any funding boost for early learning is welcome. But let’s be real: the most sensible and equitable move would be to make childcare universal and free.

Include the Commonwealth government in the legislation

The Greens support this amendment. The freedom to express opinions with respect to the Commonwealth government is really important. Staff and students should be free to criticise the government without fear of repercussions or adverse action.

I rise to speak briefly on Senator Pratt's motion to refer to the Senate Education and Employment References Committee a reference about early childhood education. I want to say at the start that early childhood education and care is an essential service. It should be universal and it should be free. I say this not just from a rights perspective. There is a compelling case for free and universally available early childhood education and care because it has enormous benefits for children and enormous benefits for families. Of course, it has enormous benefits and is good for women.

 I rise to speak on the Higher Education Support Amendment (Freedom of Speech) Bill 2020. This bill amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to provide a new definition of academic freedom that enshrines in law principles of freedom of expression and substitutes the existing term 'free intellectual inquiry' in relevant provisions with the term 'freedom of speech and academic freedom' to align the language of provisions within the model proposed by Robert French.

New figures released by Universities Australia today that more than 17,000 university jobs have been lost in the past year are devastating but unsurprising, the Greens say, as the impacts of the Morrison Government’s abandonment of universities has been made clear. All eyes are on the new minister, Alan Tudge, to prevent further carnage.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens Education spokesperson, said:

The median cost of childcare is the highest it’s ever been and there are worrying signs for service quality, according to new figures from the Productivity Commission. The new data also confirms that demand for early childhood education and care is higher than ever before.

The Greens say that this is a call to action for the Australian government to invest in universal, high-quality and fee-free early childhood education, and deal with the crisis facing early learning.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the December quarter Consumer Price Index data released today by the ABS has revealed “out-of-pocket [childcare] expenses have now returned to pre-COVID levels in all capital cities.”

Senator Faruqi said:

“These latest numbers put us back to where we were before Covid-19 – with one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Alan Tudge’s appointment as Education Minister is a disturbing development.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Anyone who a federal court judge has found to have acted criminally is not fit to be a minister of the government.

“It’s no surprise that this is the sort of ‘talent’ the Prime Minister wants to elevate in the government’s efforts to defund and privatise education.

“This disturbing appointment shows how little the government values the education system.

Universities are cutting courses and slashing jobs. The combined blows of COVID-19 and funding cuts are devastating. We should prioritise and expand education in languages and cultures, especially those in the Asia-Pacific, and reject these harsh, nonsensical cuts to language programs.

In its submission to the job-ready graduates bill inquiry, the Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities said: