Page 4079 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 2010
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workers so this strong industry remains that way and a career path is clear for that workforce.
I bring up the fact that we know that, in the last few years, fees have been waived so that childcare workers here in the ACT can go to the CIT to get that qualification. It is in recognition that we do need to be encouraging more people to see that as an option as a career. I understand that that has been well attended. We still have an issue, though, that there are people who are going into that course and then, within a year or so, switching over to doing a teaching or early childhood teaching qualification at the University of Canberra. So we do need to keep an eye on how we can continue to make the childcare work valued and attractive so that we do have workers in that industry.
We know that it is not always possible to control childcare costs, as these operate on a business basis. The government is limited in what it can do in this regard. It can work, however, to ensure that the regulatory burden for childcare providers, which is imposed to ensure that standards such as health and safety are addressed, is not too severe and does not result in higher costs and charges to families. There should not be too much compliance put in place, but, at the same time, we do need to ensure that these are safe and healthy places for children.
The ACT government do have a role in working with their federal counterparts to do whatever is possible to bring costs associated with the high demand of the childcare industry down. We really need to ensure that the federal government are keeping a good eye on this area and ensuring that rebates to parents keep up with the costs.
Access to childcare in locations across Canberra which enable families to drop off and pick up their children in line with their work and family demands is essential. In turn, it is important that the ACT government ensures these childcare centres are afforded some security of accommodation so that childcare providers can offer security to their staff and parents can be assured of the service. Besides quality, one thing I do know as a mother of children who have been in childcare over the years is that consistency of staff also ensures a quality experience for your children.
I know that in the parliamentary agreement item 9.2 was about ensuring that we have space for playgroups and playschools. I am very pleased that that was an item that was fulfilled, with playschools such as the inner north playschool finding a permanent home. We know that earlier this year Gumnut out at Evatt found that it its home was under threat and it needed new accommodation. I do welcome the government’s announcement that they will be investing $4 million over two years to open a childcare centre on the former Flynn site that will accommodate a merged childcare centre. It will be a merging of Gumnut and Alkira. Having lobbied the minister hard on Gumnut having a home after a motion was passed earlier this year, I am pleased that that has been the outcome for them. I have had contact with them, and they are extremely pleased that they will have a future at that site at Flynn.
The ACT Greens are committed to working hard to ensure that there is access to quality childcare in the ACT and that conditions for childcare workers are appropriate. There is still work to be done, particularly to assist low income families in relation to childcare costs, and we ask the ACT government to continue to work with their
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