Government ignored interested childcare operators

11-December-2008

The Government has continued to ignore childcare operators interested in some of the ABC centres which are either unviable or set to close creating undue distress amongst affected parents, children and staff, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare Sophie Mirabella MP said today.

“55 centres are due to close on 31 December 2008 and 241 will continue to be propped up until March with $34 million worth of taxpayers’ money but I have been contacted by numerous operators who are concerned about the Government’s lack of contact with the industry. Many operators could be interested in taking over some of the ABC centres but despite contacting the ABC Learning Receiver they have been literally ignored,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“I am aware of one operator with 12 years industry experience who lodged an expression of interest in late November for one Victorian ABC centre after it initially appeared on the “subject to further operational review” list as it is located between two centres that he successfully operates. However, after receiving a ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you’ response, the ABC centre is now one of the 55 centres set to close at the end of this month.”

“If, as Ms Gillard has stated, some of these centres may be viable under a different management system, why has this operator not been contacted and given the necessary information to determine if he can make this centre work?,” Mrs Mirabella

“Given the Government is subsidising the 241 unviable centres by approximately $141,000 each, when a childcare operator expresses interest in a centre surely it is beholden on those overseeing this process to seriously investigate the possibility of selling the centre, keeping it open and causing as little disruption to the parents, children and staff.”

“Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to accurately assess the state of the sector as Ms Gillard continues to refuse to reveal national childcare vacancy figures so that the public can carefully review Labor’s election promise to build 260 new Child Care Centres around the country,” Mrs Mirabella said.

Minister Gillard needs to answer the following questions:

Why does the Government continue to refuse to reveal childcare vacancy figures?

Why are childcare operators being ignored when they are expressing interest in ABC centres?

Why is the Government still committed to building 260 childcare centres when 241 ABC centres are unviable and 55 are closing?

Why is the Government paying to keep some ABC centres open until March when there are operators close by with vacancies?