Page 1890 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 May 2010
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This lack of support by the government is linked to a lack of planning and forward thinking. Government documents reveal that the government is unsure of where vacancies are, other than anecdotally. The government is not investing time in planning for new centres. The government is working in silos.
Today the Canberra Liberals call on the government to immediately conduct an audit of childcare services in the ACT to determine where there is a need for additional services. ACT Labor promised two new childcare centres in the 2008 election and committed $4 million to their construction, but has announced only one—and apparently decreed where it should be rather than consulting on where it is needed.
The audit should focus on the impact of the regulatory changes that will commence in 2012, including the impact on staffing, the impact on the community sector and the impact on overall numbers after the new ratios are implemented. After the results of the audit are known, the government should immediately develop a childcare master plan to help guide the sector through the changes that will take place in 2012. The master plan should consider and address the number of places that are needed into the future and where those places will be required; workforce issues and how to bring more staff into the sector in preparation for 2012; and the need for the creation of a capital funding pool to provide assistance for smaller centres to expand following the introduction of the new childcare ratios.
The Canberra Liberals would provide a centralised waiting list for the community-based childcare organisations in order to provide a one-stop shop for parents and allow the directors of childcare centres to spend more time in the childcare centre. The service would provide ongoing information on demand to parents as well as supporting the community sector. The service could be extended to for-profit centres. Families would not be required to pay a fee to join the list—which is often required by childcare centres.
The total cost of these proposals is quite modest. They would total $683,000 over four years but would make a real, tangible improvement in this important sector.
This is just one example of looking at and listening to the community, researching and responding to the issue and preparing costed, achievable solutions. Of course, this is only possible if you keep your spending under control. You can invest in quality spending, not just quantity spending. You can get a bigger bang for your buck. But there are advantages to be brought to our city by just doing the job of government better.
As a Liberal government, we would also be focused on supporting small business in the ACT. Although, as we have seen, the federal public service is a major player in our economy, an equally vital component is the small businesses that make up the rest of our economic base. What is even worse, though, is that one of the poorest payers of small business is the ACT government itself. Not only is it not particularly supportive on a broader policy platform; it is actually an active impediment.
Ms Gallagher: I do not think we are. Bloody excellent, I think.
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