Page 4072 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 2010
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What this means is that, beginning in 2012, there will be substantial changes to childcare in relation to the nought to twos in particular. We will have to work to change the ratios. That is not a simple thing. You do not just put another person in a room. In addition to staff ratios, there are floor space requirements. If you put another person in the room and put in more children then you will need more floor space. Lots of childcare centres are currently being confronted with the issue of whether to upsize and build to put in more childcare places or downsize to meet the ratio requirements. These are important financial and planning decisions that need to be addressed. There are lots of community organisations who are struggling with how to best make that decision.
It is the best part of six months since I asked Ms Burch to have a conversation with me about strategies for the ACT government to address, especially the needs of the parent-run, not-for-profit childcare centres which were making these decisions. We did have one meeting. We got to the end of that meeting and we had not got on to this subject. Ms Burch said, “I’ll get back to you.” I have been in touch with Ms Burch’s office on at least one occasion since then to follow up, but there has been no discussion. I believe Ms Burch either thinks it is not important or she does not know how to address the issue.
These are important issues, but Ms Burch is not across them. It is obvious from the answers to the questions today that she does not comprehend the impact that these changes will have on the day-to-day lives and the day-to-day incomes of average people. The RoGS data that we saw earlier this year showed that people on low incomes pay up to 20 per cent of their disposable, after-tax income on childcare. It is a huge imposition for lower income earners in the ACT and elsewhere, but particularly in the ACT where it is a much higher proportion.
This issue is not being addressed by the minister. The minister keeps saying, “The setting of childcare fees is not a matter for me. The setting of childcare fees is a commercial arrangement between parents and the childcare provider.” But the minister is the person who provides the regulatory framework and is the first port of call for most people who have issues in relation to childcare.
If we are going to continue to provide employment for Canberra, especially Canberra women who want to return to the workforce and who are finding it hard to do so because of the lack of childcare, it is important that this minister, along with the whole community, is responsive. We have seen that the minister is not responsive. We can look at the instance of the Gumnut childcare centre which was in limbo for many months. At one stage, the minister was just saying, “We’re going to close you down. We’re going to move you. We’re going to close you down from this place and good luck finding a new spot.”
It was only when the matter was brought to this Assembly that the minister started to take an interest in it. After many months and many false starts, we now have a solution for the Gumnut childcare centre. But it is a solution which does not provide, despite the stated policy—
Ms Burch: They’re very pleased with it.
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