Families are the Foundation of Australia's Future - Oped in The Australian 6 March 2026

Families are where we learn our values, where we find our strength, and where we build our hopes for the future. If you work hard, make good choices, and look after the people you love, you should be able to build a secure future.

Strengthening families is one of the most important things we can do for Australia’s future. Getting it right will be nation building. This means deeply investigating the potential policies, creating the conditions for families to thrive, lighting the spark of aspiration and allowing people to live their dreams, not having big government step in to take charge.

Four pillars need to be a priority.

A tax and payments system that reflects how families live today. Families organise work and care in many ways. Some parents share paid work evenly. Others choose part time work so they can be present for their children. Some rely on grandparents or extended family. But our tax system still treats parents as individuals, and that is hurting, not helping families.

Two households earning the same combined income can pay very different amounts of tax simply because one parent works part time to care for children. That doesn’t recognise the value of raising the next generation, nor the contribution of unpaid care.

A tax and payments system that reflects Australian family life would recognise the real cost of raising children, support the choices families make about work and care and ensure families aren’t penalised for how they divide their income. Aspiration and responsibility is something that should be rewarded, not punished.

Childcare that is real life, not one size fits all. Childcare should support families, not limit them or worse, push them down. Parents need options that reflect real working lives – shift work, part time work, early starts, late finishes, and everything in between. Too often, childcare is inflexible, expensive, or simply unavailable.

Families should be able to choose the care that fits their values, their work patterns, and their children’s needs – whether that’s centre based care, family day care, in home care, or more flexible arrangements.

When I think back to those long commutes – the early drop offs, the late pick ups, the guilt of not being there sooner – I know how important it is that families have real choice. No parent should feel like they’re failing simply because the system doesn’t fit their life. A childcare system built around flexibility and choice would help parents stay connected to work without sacrificing the wellbeing of their children. This is something I publicly said in 2015 that there is no way that sustainable economic growth will be possible without structural changes and the creation of better ways of doing things, and that we need to start looking at innovative solutions that support families who are the backbone of our country’s prosperity.

Jobs and Opportunity Closer to Home. Long commutes drain time, energy, and connection. A nation building agenda that brings industry, training, and employment opportunities into the suburbs supported by better transport and digital infrastructure would give families back the most precious resource of all – time with their children. I promised in my maiden speech I will fight for the people who are working hard for their families and commuting every day for a good job. They have said they don’t want to be doing that long commute. They want jobs close to home. Today, it is reality that most people in Western Sydney do not live within 30 minutes of their work. As someone who commuted over two hours a day for over 10 years, there is nothing I want more than good local jobs.

Housing That Gives Families a Foundation. Housing remains one of the most significant barriers to family formation and stability with people being pushed further from employment hubs, extended family, and community support. Planning reform, increased land release for family homes, and a focus on building homes near transport and jobs would help restore the great Australian dream for the next generation. Right now, that dream seems like an olden day fantasy for many young families. A home is not just an asset. It is the foundation of stability, belonging, and aspiration - the place where children grow and families build their future.

The Coalition’s renewed commitment to Australian families. Families deserve a fair chance and equality of opportunity – to work hard, raise children, buy a home, and build a life. Everything we do should make life better for the families who are doing their best – just like I once was, racing off that train from work, hoping I’d get there before my kids were the last ones waiting. If we get this right, if we put families back at the centre of our national story, then we will have a stronger, more cohesive, and more confident nation.