Page 1460 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 2012
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We already know that childcare costs in Canberra are the highest in the country. The Productivity Commission Report on government services 2012 confirmed what we already knew—that ACT families pay $75 more per week than the average cost of childcare in Australia. This is a significant amount of money and a significant imposition on families trying to build a future in Canberra.
The Minister for Community Services has no understanding of this struggle. It was only in December last year that she was forced to admit that the cost of childcare would increase by five times her original estimate under Labor childcare reforms.
Ms Burch interjecting—
MR HANSON: If you believe that I am misleading the Assembly, move a substantive motion, Ms Burch, and stop continually interjecting. Ms Burch originally said that the increase in childcare costs could be likened to a cup of coffee. She was then forced to admit that Canberra families with two children in day care would be stung with at least an extra $30 hit to their wallet. However, Ms Burch is contradicted by the Productivity Commission, which estimates that the cost of childcare would increase by 15 per cent, which translates, in the ACT, to over $60 a week. That is very expensive coffee.
Ms Burch: Point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I ask that Mr Hanson table any information where I have said that Canberra families will be up for an extra $60 a week.
MR HANSON: Madam Deputy Speaker, on the point of order, I cannot see what point of order the minister is raising here. Perhaps you would invite her to explain what point of order she is making—what number standing order it is and what her point is. It is simply interjecting into a debate with a fictitious point of order to try and make a debate of it. It is inappropriate and I ask you to ask her to explain what point of order she is actually making.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ms Burch, there is no point of order.
MR HANSON: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker; clearly there is no point of order. Why wouldn’t the minister be touchy about this? This is a minister who said that it is going to cost about a cup of coffee for a Canberra family. It turns out that it is going to be a 15 per cent increase, which is about $60 a week, for Canberra families with a couple of kids. No wonder the minister interjects. No wonder she raises these fictitious points of order. And no wonder she leaves her chair, leaving the government benches entirely unattended. I would imagine that they could only be ashamed by the contradictory positions that they have been taking.
I commend my colleague Mrs Dunne on the open approach of this motion. Mrs Dunne is not purporting to suggest that the government should have no role in the development. There is clearly a need in the community, and assistance may be needed to allow for a not-for-profit or commercial entity to begin work on the project. It
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