Page 324 - Week 01 - Thursday, 16 February 2012
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MS BURCH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I have said here a number of times, it is the business models, it is the decisions of the childcare centres themselves about the fees they set. To support the sector and to provide them with support in their business models, we have got on and invested a significant amount of money. You will also note in ROGS that the ACT government has the highest, or one of the highest, investments in children’s services.
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary, Mr Seselja.
MR SESELJA: Minister, what quantum increase has the government worked out for the cost of childcare in the ACT during 2012 with the impact of the new child-to-carer ratios?
MS BURCH: The national reforms on early childhood education and care came into effect on 1 January. The first round of reform is focusing very clearly on the child-to-carer ratio. Here in the ACT all of our over-twos meet the ratios and, significantly, those with the under-twos now meet the ratios. The decisions of individual services to meet the requirements are theirs. We have supported them all along the way, as we can, through educating on the system, supporting them through the changes that they have to do and putting on the table hard dollars that support them for some physical infrastructure changes that allow them to accommodate the changes they need.
Moving on to cost, we have spoken and reviewed the cost across the sector. Those that already met the requirements before 1 January—there was no discernible difference to organisations that needed to make change.
On that basis, I would say that the call on the services to mete out quality services, which is what parents want, is within the ambit of the services, and it makes no difference, from what I can see, to the costings of services.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, what would be the quantum ACT to national comparison after the full effects of the implementation of the new childcare standards are felt?
MS BURCH: I think we have had a discussion about the cost of childcare here a number of times. All in this room would know that Access Economics have modelled the work on the impact of the childcare reforms. That is a tad under $3 in this year, going up to around $12 in the outyears. There will be other factors that may come into play for services in their middle business model that are not necessary related to the national quality reforms of early education and care.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
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