Page 307 - Week 01 - Thursday, 17 February 2011
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Alliance Australia it was found that 74 per cent of parents would have difficulties in covering additional childcare costs of $13 to $22 a day. As we are aware, Mrs Dunne has taken proactive steps in looking into this issue further and has been directly engaged with many concerned parents and childcare professionals in this city. I commend her for her diligence in this matter.
It is quite instructive to note the following sampling of comments that have been made by concerned Canberra childcare providers. One is: “It is quite difficult to find good relief staff, which is a problem now, and will be a larger problem once the changes are in place.” Another comment is: “We are going to have to cut places in our nursery, which makes it hard.” And then there is: “We are nervous because we have been having difficulties with finding a qualified preschool teacher.” It goes on: “Whilst the proposed changes are welcomed, we are going to have to increase our fees substantially to meet the proposed changes.” The final comment is: “We don’t want to burden parents by increasing fees, but we will have no choice.”
We believe that there is a serious lack of consultation with the childcare sector regarding the national agenda. There is growing sentiment among parents and the childcare sector that Minister Burch has done little by way of defending the parents and childcare centres in this city. The Canberra Liberals naturally are concerned with the proposed changing landscape of the childcare sector and its impact on the accessibility and affordability of quality childcare services. To do this right, you will need to listen to and engage with parents and childcare professionals.
There seems to be a recent Labor practice to add 1980s business fads like “quality” in its recent initiatives, which seems more like a rhetorical foil. The national quality agenda, with the present government’s blessing, seems to be no different. Yet scratch the surface and what you see is a looming crisis that has the veritable capacity to drive a wedge between working parents and their children. There is urgency in considering how these initiatives are truly family friendly. I thank you for giving a platform for this topic as today’s matter of public importance.
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Women) (3.10): I thank Mr Doszpot for bringing this matter of public importance to the Assembly today because it gives me an opportunity to update the Assembly on the investment that this government, and indeed the federal Labor government, have made in the area of childcare.
The ACT government believes strongly that quality early childhood education and childcare do make a difference. They make a difference to our children’s development in those formative years. And they make a difference to families by allowing parents to return to work and contribute to the family budget. Put simply, quality childcare is the foundation for a brighter future.
According to research by the commonwealth Treasury, quality, affordability and accessibility are all factors that promote workforce participation. That is why, in partnership with the federal government, the ACT government has invested more than ever before to help parents meet the cost of childcare, make access easier for parents and ensure all childcare centres meet basic quality standards.
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