Page 3276 - Week 10 - Thursday, 25 September 2014
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MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Dr Bourke): Order, Mr Doszpot! Stop the clocks. Mr Doszpot, you have already been warned once today for disorderly conduct. I am warning you again.
MS BURCH: As I said, the Canberra Liberals forgot CIT at the last election. They may forget it, but this government does not. This government is investing in CIT and indeed will invest in a centre in Tuggeranong.
On the notion of early childcare education, which is a significantly important matter to our community, I just want to reflect back on the long day care numbers and places. In the four years prior to the election in 2001, the number of centres was 80 in one year, 80 in the second year, 78 in the third, and 80 in the fourth year—80 long day care centres. The number of places moved over that four-year period from 3,952 to 4,121. That was the effort. If you look at the graph, it is just about a straight line. That was the effort in supporting our families in early childhood from the Canberra Liberals.
Since this government came to office in 2001 we have seen a steady growth of early childcare centres. We now have 123 centres and over 9,700 places. You talk about getting priorities right. I think that providing opportunities for Canberra families in the early years of education is a priority and we clearly demonstrate that it is for us.
It is important to note that on early education and care we have just seen a very late and confused commitment from the federal Liberal government towards ensuring preschool funding for next year. Of course, we have seen the federal government’s lack of commitment to school space funding beyond 2017. It would perhaps be wise for Mr Smyth and his colleagues, instead of spending their 15 minutes full of negativity, to get on the phone to their federal colleague and support ACT schools.
I remember a motion back here in March where I asked this chamber to make sure that we have appropriate needs-based funding for all schools—government, Catholic and independent schools—and each one of the Canberra Liberals voted that down. The Canberra Liberals said that they did not want to know about needs-based funding; they did not want to know about secure funding for independent and Catholic schools beyond 2017. Each one of them voted against secure funding for education. I hope that when they are out in the community they make it clear that they oppose a better deal for schools—independent and Catholic schools.
I see this MPI as nothing more than a confected outrage and an attempt to create a crisis. They have nothing to offer the ACT in positive policy. Through this confected outrage they are trying to pull together another crisis, but we know they do not actually believe what they say because they have said so many positive things about it themselves. Indeed, Mr Doszpot, on 3 May, on the topic of ACT public education, said:
I know that there is a wonderful present and an even better future. ACT education enjoys a favourable reputation around Australia, and that is deserved.
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