Page 3087 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
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Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order, members!
MS BURCH: I think there was another part—
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Coe!
MS BURCH: It beggars belief that those opposite get upset when we over-deliver on childcare places and over-deliver on childcare centres and indeed deliver portable long service leave for the community sector.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, how will low income earners who already pay 20 per cent of their weekly disposable income on childcare be able to plan to address these childcare rises?
MS BURCH: I thank Mrs Dunne for her interest in childcare. We have been to this place before. Access Economics has done some work and some modelling on the costs for childcare. I think that by 2015 the increase will be a bit over $11 to families. But the balance of that increase comes with a workforce that is qualified, a workforce that is well skilled and trained. It comes with a better child to worker ratio. It comes with improved quality childcare. The community that I speak to welcomes the quality framework for early childhood. The mothers and fathers I talk to recognise the increased cost but say, “If my child has better quality childcare then that is money well spent.”
MR SMYTH: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, what will be the impact on the skills crisis in the ACT if families are forced to leave the workplace because they are unable to gain access to affordable childcare?
Mr Barr: A hypothetical question.
MS BURCH: It is an absolutely hypothetical question and I am not answering.
MR SPEAKER: A further supplementary, Mr Smyth?
MR SMYTH: Minister, what analysis has been done by your department as to the impact of the changes that come into place on 1 January next year?
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