Federal Member For Adelaide - Website Parliamentary Speeches Remarks at Australian Childcare Alliance Morning Tea 22 Aug 2012 THE HON KATE ELLIS MP Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care TRANSCRIPT 22 August 2012 Remarks at Australian Childcare Alliance Morning Tea Thank you very much. Can I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land in which we meet and paying my respect to their elders past and present. I want to acknowledge my parliamentary colleagues, the minister for many things, Including Early Childhood Minister, Peter Garrett we have the Shadow Minister Susan Ley, we did have the Green's spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young who will be back with us shortly, Parliamentary Secretary Jacinta Collins as well as a number of parliamentary colleagues from both chambers. Can I acknowledge President Gwynn Bridge and all of the representatives from the Australian Childcare Alliance. I see that we also have some early childhood workers with us here today and I would like to acknowledge you too. Today is incredibly special, because I believe it is the first time that we have had the executive of the Australian Childcare Alliance from right across Australia all come and join us in Canberra. All of you are here to engage with policy makers about the 'next steps' for early childhood services in Australia. I do think that it is also the occasion for us to look at the journey we have been on together. I know that there has been incredible change over the last five