What has Gillard got to hide on childcare data?
02-December-2008
The Rudd Government has been slammed as “irresponsible” for not revealing important national data on childcare vacancy rates, as the industry struggles to deal with the current ABC Learning crisis.
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare Sophie Mirabella MP said the release of nation-wide data was vital for the future of the industry and questioned whether the Government was deliberately trying to hide the figures.
“In planning for childcare, we have to start with the basics – reliable data on supply and demand is vital. All Childcare Centres must report their vacancies each week – so why haven’t the figures been released over the past 13 months? It makes absolutely no sense,’ Mrs Mirabella said
“The Minister is telling the industry to make “expression of interest” applications for ABC Learning Centres – but there is no clear picture on supply and demand in any region.”
Mrs Mirabella said the Government’s reluctance to release the figures may be linked to their pre-election promise to build 260 new Childcare Centres.
“The Rudd Government has already committed over $114 million of taxpayers funds to build the first 38 of these Centres over the next 4 years. There are 113 ABC Learning Centres within 5 kms of the sites announced so far – we don’t even know where the other 222 will be built.”
“This raises all sorts of demand and supply issues. The Government’s foray into building childcare centres has the potential to impact significantly on the future of the industry and must be examined very carefully at this time.”
“Surely Julia Gillard can provide the industry with an accurate, up-to-date breakdown of childcare availability? She has the figures – now, more than ever before, the childcare industry needs to know the real picture,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“In Opposition, the ALP called on the Government to release this data. I ask the Minister – in Government – to reveal such figures immediately.”
“It is patently irresponsible for the Minister to keep such data to herself and raises the question, what has the Minister got to hide?”