Page 1555 - Week 04 - Thursday, 7 April 2011
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Christmas trees. It is certainly not my understanding, and I think the federal minister has come out and dismissed those accusations or commentary as well.
We have centres that already have in place a framework, a policy, a mindset, that ensures that all children are able to participate or, should they not want to participate in a particular activity, it is their right to do so and they will be supported to engage in other learning activities within the centre.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary?
MR SESELJA: Minister, will you be drafting your own corresponding legislation if the federal government does not get a commonsense base?
MS BURCH: The regulations are still being actively discussed across the sector. There is a commonsense approach. I have faith in the regulations, but I will keep an eye and an ear to how I can further support the sector here in the ACT.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, the expression “activities that are inappropriate” is not defined in the regulations. Can you advise the Assembly as to your understanding of its meaning and how it would be interpreted in the context of the day-to-day operations of childcare in the territory?
MS BURCH: I thank Mrs Dunne for trolling through the draft regulations and the bill. Currently in the ACT there are already, as I have said, systems and approaches in place across centres that allow the centres to develop a curriculum, a framework, of activity sets that allows children to participate in what we, in Australia, know regularly comes in a calendar—Easter, Christmas. We also celebrate Chinese New Year in centres.
Mr Seselja: I have a point of order about direct relevance. There was a very specific question about the meaning of activities that are inappropriate and asking for the minister’s understanding of what that is. I ask you to direct her to be directly relevant to the question.
MR SPEAKER: Minister Burch, if you would like to perhaps help Mr Seselja on the matter he was after as well.
MS BURCH: I would say an appropriate activity includes an Easter egg hunt and decorating a Christmas tree.
MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, a supplementary.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, have any service providers or members of the public expressed concerns with you about this and, if so, how have you responded to their concerns?
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