Page 103 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 25 February 2014
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Mr Coe: Is that what she pays?
MS BERRY: That is what she would like to pay. We have to have the best people teaching them, and that requires good wages and conditions.
Mr Coe interjecting—
MS BERRY: It is funny, isn’t it, to laugh at the work that early childhood educators do.
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Order members!
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Coe! Ms Berry, please direct your comments through the chair.
MS BERRY: Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. We need to make sure that for the best start for our children we have the best people teaching them, and that requires wages and conditions, a national quality framework and accessibility to good centres.
Members interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Order members! Ms Berry has the floor.
MS BERRY: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for raising this matter of public importance this afternoon.
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Coe, I warn you.
MS BERRY: However, I am disappointed that he had little of importance to contribute to this vital sector. The Canberra Liberals need to stop dividing parents and workers and start thinking about working towards ensuring that we have the best quality early childhood education system that we can deliver.
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (4.59): I rise today to support Mr Hanson on this important matter of the importance of affordable childcare in the ACT. I would like to thank Mr Rattenbury, Ms Burch and Ms Berry for their comments in support of the topic as well.
As the shadow minister for family and community services, it is superfluous for me to say that child care is an issue of great importance to me. I also have five children and 10 grandchildren, so I get a daily commentary about child care in the ACT. In fact I could mention that my latest grandchild was born last week and her parents will now enter into the childcare system themselves. I place on record a welcome to Jayde Nicole Lawder.
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