NEW MINISTER A JOKE TO REPEAT CONSULTATIONS
05-July-2009
The Rudd Government stands condemned for treating parents with contempt with yet another round of public consultation that won’t stop childcare costs spiralling under recommendations approved by COAG, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare Sophie Mirabella said today.
“The Rudd Government was elected on the promise that they would reduce costs and improve the quality of childcare. That promise is now in tatters – and the new Childcare Minister’s contemptuous response is yet another round of taxpayer-funded talks.”
“Just like their promise to fix the Hospital system, Labor’s promises on childcare have amounted to nothing but empty rhetoric.”
Mrs Mirabella said she had warned of spiralling childcare costs in her media release of the 29th March “Rudd Government must come clean on childcare costs”, which called on the Rudd Government to explain who would fund the proposed changes to the childcare system.
“It’s disturbing that the Government’s own Expert Advisory Panel Chair Professor Alison Elliot has admitted that the panel did not even look at calculating the added costs of their proposals – particularly those on staff qualifications and ratio levels - or consider who would pay.”
“In fact, Professor Alison said back in March that “quality childcare is expensive and someone must pay”. And now COAG has apparently signed up to the recommendations. That’s no way to make important policy decisions such as these,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“There was a nation-wide round of public consultations for new National Quality Framework last year as part of this process – and on the weekend the new Minister Kate Ellis has announced there’ll be another round of public consultations. It’s fair enough to let parents have a say – but it won’t fix the problem.”
“The Rudd Government had promised to introduce the new National Quality Framework in July this year, and they are way behind schedule. They need to start explaining exactly who is going to pay for their childcare “vision” – and how much it will cost.”
“The proposed staff to child ratios that the Government’s Expert Panel has recommended will potentially add hundreds of dollars to the cost of caring for a child. Who is going to pay? It’s especially relevant in these difficult times when family budgets are stretched and unemployment is expected to reach one million next year.”
Mrs Mirabella said that Prime Minister Rudd needed to admit that Labor’s policies will NOT reduce fees as promised, but their insistence on higher qualified staff and better staff ratios would in fact cost families.
“Mr Rudd knew it in 2007 when he admitted, when asked on the Today Show whether fees would be reduced as a result of their policies - "No, no, I’m not saying that at all. In the business of government we don’t run a magic pudding show, you don’t just keep pulling out, someone’s got to pay." (Today Show 30.01.07)
“New Minister Kate Ellis should explain to concerned parents exactly how Labor intends to deliver on the childcare promises they clearly made – especially when it comes to making childcare more affordable for working families. It has now been revealed that Labor’s National Quality Framework is likely to do exactly the opposite and put more financial pressure on parents.”