Page 4851 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
We are also developing a workforce strategy that will target the needs of the ACT early childhood sector. There are a number of exciting initiatives happening to attract and retain the workforce, including the development of a marketing campaign being led by the ACT Children’s Services Forum.
Such a significant agenda will ensure that the children of the ACT receive improved education and care, but it will come at a cost. Costs for this new system have been modelled by Access Economics on behalf of the Australian government, states and territories. Access Economics have estimated additional increases to fees are in the vicinity—
Mrs Dunne: Oh come on! You’re still using Access Economics.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Mrs Dunne, that will do, thanks.
MS BURCH: That paper was validated again earlier this year, Mr Assistant Speaker. The Australian government will continue to pay for at least 50 per cent of the out-of-pocket expenses up to $7½ thousand for families through the childcare rebate and the childcare benefit.
It is important to put the increases to costs into context so that there is no opportunity to distort the facts. According to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations childcare update, in 2010 a family with an income of $75,000 per year spent seven per cent of their disposable income on childcare compared to the 13 per cent that they were spending in 2004. To support quality, affordability and accessibility to education and care services—
Mrs Dunne interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Dunne! That is the second time.
MS BURCH: the ACT government released in April this year the supporting quality early childhood education and care package. This included $250,000 for community organisations to apply for grants of up to $10,000. They were used for design, planning, equipment and fit-out of services.
The government already supports a rolling maintenance program for refurbishment of $800,000 annually. We have also recently announced $9 million over two years to provide additional support to services to transition into the new services. We are spending significant money on supporting the sector and working hand in hand with the sector as we go through this. The national quality framework will be reviewed in 2014. The review will consider the effectiveness of all of this.
The ACT’s education and care sector is preparing for and is committed to adopting the Education and Care Services National Law (ACT) Bill. The ACT care sector welcomes the reforms under the national quality framework.
I would like to recognise the representatives of early childhood educators who are here today to celebrate these reforms. I want to thank them personally for the work
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video