Page 1451 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 2012
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MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Community Services, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Women and Minister for Gaming and Racing) (4.26): I heard at the beginning Mrs Dunne, on behalf of the Canberra Liberals, make comment that this government or I have no vision about childcare. What you have had from this government is release of land, building of services, scholarships for the workforce and, indeed, over the last 12 months, an increase of about 500 places across Canberra. Compare that with Mrs Dunne, who wants to have a centralised waiting list which nobody in this place wants and certainly none of the providers and parents that I have spoken to want. Today she comes forward with a motion to actually stop us providing a facility for a community provider to operate.
The government does not support this motion. Mrs Dunne has made a habit of coming into this place and attacking the government on the issue of childcare. The attacks are based on creative but absolutely inaccurate conclusions that she has drawn. I am sure that she knows they are wrong. Today’s motion only serves to highlight how out of touch Mrs Dunne is on the issue and on the needs of Canberra families.
Mrs Dunne: On a point of order—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Stop the clock, thank you. On a point of order, Mrs Dunne.
Mrs Dunne: Ms Burch said that I came in here and made erroneous statements which I knew to be wrong, which is an implication that I intentionally misled the Assembly. I would ask you to ask Ms Burch to withdraw the assertion.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: I invite you to withdraw the assertion.
MS BURCH: She is providing—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Unreservedly, Ms Burch.
MS BURCH: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker; I will withdraw. I am not quite sure what I am withdrawing, but I will withdraw. Today’s motion only serves to highlight how out of touch Mrs Dunne is on the issue and on the needs of Canberra families. The motion today is really just another attempt by Mrs Dunne and the Canberra Liberals to hide the fact they have no positive agenda in this area. Yesterday Mrs Dunne wrongly asserted that we had failed to partner with the community sector, and yet today she seeks to attack a proposal that will further strengthen our partnership with the community sector. This hypocrisy and inconsistency from the Canberra Liberals really should not surprise me, but every day there are more surprises of this nature.
Today’s motion seeks to attack the government for our multimillion dollar investment into a childcare centre to support the families of Weston Creek. This was part of the childcare package that we funded in 2011-12 and represents the biggest investment in childcare by an ACT government since self-government. The construction of the
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