06 November 2008 in Media
The Rudd Government must move quickly to reassure local families who rely on ABC Learning in Aberfoyle Park and Oakbank for their childcare as the Board considers calling in administrators.
The time has come for the Childcare Parliamentary Secretary Maxine McKew to take a leadership role and be upfront with parents and let them know exactly what contingency plans are in place to ensure the Centres remain operational.
The Government has not offered any reassurance to Australian families since ABC Learning suspended trading on their shares in August.
The Coalition has been consistently calling on the Government to let families know what they intend to do about ABC Learning in the event that the administrators had been called in.
Around 25% of all long day care in Australia is conducted through ABC Learning and the company receives 44% of its revenue from Federal Government subsidies. Clearly the Government has a responsibility to ensure the services offered through ABC Learning continue.
Failure to ensure that ABC Learning Centres remain operational will be nothing short of a major disaster for the Australian childcare industry – one that will have a huge impact on tens of thousands of Australian mums and dads.
The Rudd Government has a responsibility to outline exactly what it intends to do.