Parents and industry left in dark by Rudd Government

08-December-2008

The Government’s continued “hands off” approach to the ABC learning situation has left many parents confused and many questions unanswered, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare Sophie Mirabella MP said today.

“The announcement by the Receivers last week that they are working with the Government on a “plan” but need more time to decide the fate of the 386 Centres still under review, has raised more questions than it answered,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“The nebulous promise of a “guaranteed place” for every child in an ABC Centre begs the question, where are the places coming from? Will they be in nearby areas, or will parents be expected to drive long distances to their new Centre? Will they be in other private or community Centres? What about the staff at ABC Centres that will close, what guarantees for them?”

“The Rudd Government said it was working on a contingency plan in September – but we’ve still seen nothing at all from them. They’re leaving all the heavy-lifting to the Receiver, when there’s a lot the Government can and should be doing to improve the future of the child care industry.”

Mrs Mirabella said the Government clearly has a responsibility to urgently reveal national childcare vacancy figures and to carefully review it’s election promise to build 260 new Child Care Centres around the country.

“These are two very basic, very simple things that the Rudd Government can do now to help provide a bit more certainty for the childcare sector. Very basic, common sense things that I know will be welcomed by the industry.”

“These decisions are not contingent on the ABC Receivers, but it appears the Government is not prepared to take any steps at all to help the sector at this time.”

Mrs Mirabella said she’d received feedback that the industry was “crying out for accurate data on demand hotspots or areas of oversupply”, but obtaining it from Ms Gillard’s office was impossible.

“The last reporting of national child care vacancies was in April of 2007 by former Families Minister Mal Brough. While all Childcare Centres must report their vacancies each week, no figures have been released since Labor came to office.”

“On top of this, the Government is going full steam ahead with its promise to build 260 new Child Care Centres around the country - but refusing to say on what basis they determine the need to build a particular Centre.”

“The Minister must reveal the national childcare vacancy figures immediately to assist the childcare industry deal with the ABC Learning collapse. They must also review their promise to build Centres in light of what has happened in the past few months,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.