Senator REYNOLDS (3:16 PM) —I have never heard such a load of nonsense from Senator Patterson. I have a great deal of admiration for Senator Patterson in a number of areas where she has worked most effectively. But, after listening to her contribution this afternoon, I really think she needs to do some homework.

I want to direct my attention to the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Senator Herron. He has tried to discredit the Queensland Child Care Coalition survey by calling it a Labor Party front. I am sure that parents in Queensland will be interested to hear this because parents are concerned about the lack of child care, the costs of child care and the disturbing trends under this government. They are not concerned about Liberal, Labor, the National Party and the Democrats; they want quality child care.

Senator Patterson has acknowledged that Australia has had, and still has, the framework for a very effective child-care system. I would agree. Who delivered that system? It was Labor when it came into government in 1983. What concerns so many of us, Senator Paterson, is how your government is whittling away at what is a very good and recognised system.

When Senator Herron, who in this place acts for the minister responsible, says, `Look, only one or two are affected, and you always have people affected,' I ask: when did he last visit a child-care centre? He acknowledged that he had not read this report. I am sorry that he has left the chamber because this report is about his state of Queensland, and the survey was by both the community based and private child-care providers that Senator Patterson referred to earlier in regard to the survey report.

The Queensland child-care survey, released in February this year, found a disturbing downturn in quality child-care availability. This is one of the highlights: 3,255 Queensland children are estimated to be missing out on quality child care. That is why we are concerned. That is why parents are concerned. That is why child-care providers are concerned. Who is caring for those estimated 3,255 children who are missing out on quality child care?

The second point is that, because of child-care funding cuts, parents have been forced to reduce the hours of care by as much as 12,000 hours. This is what we know from just this particular survey: 12,000 quality child-care hours have gone missing because of the funding arrangements and changes that the government has introduced.

What about enrolments? Enrolments had decreased by 35 per cent in the first half of 1997 and by 50 per cent in the second half. I wonder what the figures are going to be for the first half of 1998 and the second half of 1998. The fee increase reported in the first half of 1997 was between 50c to $30 per week per child. That is alarming for families. No wonder they are withdrawing their children from child care. They cannot cope with that kind of increase in fees. The average fee increase for the second half of 1997 was $11 per week per child. Again, who can say what it will be for 1998 and, if this continues, the second half of 1998?

A community centre in Ipswich stated:

Mainly with fee increases, families have found it difficult as their wage had no rise to combat the rise in fees. Some parents were commenting about their security of employment. We are finding that the overall spirit of families is suffering as parents battle to meet costs not only with child care but elsewhere as well. Families are convinced that the government is determined to keep parents, particularly the mother, at home.

(Time expired)