Wednesday, 3 June 2026

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Medical Research) (14:05): Labor knows affordable, accessible kinder is not just about giving our kids the best start in life; it is about making sure we are giving families more money back in their pocket and also more money back in their day. That is why we are delivering free kinder at more than 100 childcare centres on school sites, giving parents that single drop-off we know they have been calling for for many years. This year alone we have opened 19 new schools, with 24 new kinders on school sites as well. But while we are putting money back into kindergartens, those opposite are more interested in taking money out of them. We all know they stole Free Fruit Friday.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Croydon! Member for Bulleen, this is your last warning.

Ben CARROLL: But if that was not enough, the Leader of the Opposition campaigned with someone who stole money from his daughter’s own kindergarten. I have the Leader of the Opposition’s maiden speech with me right here, and she said:

… integrity is more than a buzzword … bodies like IBAC … play a crucial role …

But now she is refusing to back Labor’s laws that will strengthen IBAC and expand the definition of ‘corruption’.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Deputy Premier is required to be factual, and that is a complete lie. I said the exact opposite this morning.

Ben CARROLL: On the point of order, Speaker, I am comparing and contrasting. I am just contrasting our position on integrity and our investment in kindergartens compared to those opposite.

Danny O’Brien: On the point of order, Speaker, as it relates to being factual, there are no laws before us and will not be for at least 18 months.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Nationals, that was not a helpful response to the point of order. On the point of order, it is a requirement of all members of this house to be factual. I ask members to be mindful of unparliamentary language as well.

Ben CARROLL: We know, whether it is in question time in Parliament backing laws that we know our state needs, whether it is on Instagram or whether it is on Twitter, families will be asking themselves: if those opposite are prepared to stand by their record on stealing money from kindergartens and prepared to stand by their record on cutting education funding, what will they steal from you come November?