At a Senate Committee inquiry this week representatives from Early Childhood Australia, Australian Childcare Alliance, Early Learning and Care Council of Australia and the National Association of Mobile Services for Rural and Remote Families and Children all outlined the negative impacts that the Omnibus Bill will have on rural and remote children across Australia.
The cuts will be devastating in Eden-Monaro as we stand to lose the award winning mobile childcare service Puggles which provides much needed child socialisation, community building and educational services to rural communities around the Snowy Valleys region.
The experts unanimously agreed that children need a minimum of two days a week at a quality childcare provider, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children needing a minimum of three days to ensure equal outcomes.
Instead the funding stream for rural and remote childcare services will be cut by the 30th of June 2018 and will not be replaced.
The Federal Member for Eden Monaro, Mike Kelly, is calling on the Turnbull government to continue the specific funding for childcare services in rural and remote areas.
“It is absurd to expect small childcare services that cover large distances to compete with large city based childcare services for funding,” Dr Kelly said.
“If the Turnbull Government had any awareness of regional Australia, they’d understand that regional children need access quality childcare services, just like children in the city.”
“By cutting funding from rural and remote childcare services, the Turnbull Government is once again demonstrating how out of touch they are with regional Australia.” Media Release by the Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM MP
