Page 2013 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 5 August 2014
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Ms Lawder made comment about cost. I simply ask the Canberra Liberals to actually put forward something that they think will reduce cost. You want quality; you expect quality; you say you want to reduce cost. We have increased it by 700 places in the last year alone. In any other market, an increase in availability will drive the market down. There has been a 94 per cent increase in the number of long day care places since we came into office. You made mention that you expect quality. I am yet to see anything from the federal Liberal Party, the current government or the Canberra Liberals about the impact on quality and how they think the changes to the NQF will result in reduced cost. Nothing has been forthcoming. And nothing is forthcoming in the Productivity Commission report.
A recent report from NATSEM in June 2004 recognised that the gross cost of childcare has increased. Ms Lawder, you made mention of the cost of childcare here in the ACT. The report, as I understand, provided a table of comparisons of the affordability of childcare as a percentage of disposable income between regions, including those within the ACT. That table indicates that childcare is consistently priced across the ACT, Queanbeyan and Goulburn. The most affordable, at 6.9 per cent, is in south Canberra. Queanbeyan is at 8.6 per cent and Goulburn and Yass are at 8.3 per cent. So in relation to the argument about cost, yes, we do have a cost; there would be places that would cost over $100 a day for childcare. But think of the quality; think of the rebates on offer and the benefit to those families who need it most. That is what it is about—ensuring it for those families that need it most.
The Productivity Commission acknowledges the evidence on the importance of investment in early childhood education and care. Those on the other side have done zip, zero, nothing in my entire presence here. Since 2008, since I have been here, there has been nothing forthcoming from the Canberra Liberals to invest in early childhood education and care.
We know that better qualified educators are more likely to provide rich learning environments and to develop a responsive, respectful relationship with children in education and care settings. I will say very early in the piece that I want to say a big thankyou to all the early childhood educators that work across our centres, providing support for over 9,500 children and places across the ACT. I thank them for what they do—the teachers, those with the diplomas, those with the certificate III qualifications and those that are just coming into this workplace and are looking to have a long and very fruitful career in early education and care.
Early education scholarships were established in 2012 because we on this side know that you need to look after your workforce and to grow and develop them to provide quality care. The scholarships that have been on offer supported people to attain a certificate III qualification. That included start-up payments to cover incidental costs and backfilling funding for educators while people study. As I understand it, over 100 early educators have taken advantage of that scholarship; 48 students have completed their cert III; and, with the extended funding, another 80-plus workforce participants will be able to be skilled up to have the minimum qualifications. This does give us confidence that our young children are being educated by professionals with appropriate skills and knowledge.
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