Victorian families with young children will be left worse off with Malcolm Turnbull delivering an $80 billion tax cut to big business while cutting funding for childcare and kindergartens.
In a shock decision, the Turnbull Government has cut funding to regulate national quality standards at childcare centres across the country.
The National Partnership on the National Quality Agenda for Early Childhood Education was first agreed by the Commonwealth, states and territories in 2009 to unify and streamline the regulatory system, with the Commonwealth having agreed to fund 40 per cent of costs from 2020.
Last week’s Federal Budget revealed there’s no more federal funding for this long-standing agreement.
Malcolm Turnbull’s about-face means thousands of Victorian early childhood services could go unchecked as early as 1 July, putting the safety of kids at risk.
Across Australia, early years services are assessed for compliance against national quality standards and the ratings published so mums and dads are well informed and can make the right choices.
Removing this funding risks letting unscrupulous operators back in the door.
It’s another signal the Turnbull Government is walking away from support for early childhood education and expecting the states and territories to pick up the slack.
Matthew Guy has failed to stand up against his mate Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts to Victorian kinders.
The Federal Budget confirms there is no Commonwealth funding for 15 hours of four-year-old kinder beyond the end of 2019.
This is despite a recent report – commissioned and backed by all the states and territories – having slammed the short-term agreements as damaging for the sector.
Despite outrage from kinders, Matthew Guy’s opposition spokesperson Georgie Crozier labelled the latest one-year extension ‘great news for Victorian preschool kids’.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos
“How typical of the Liberals to prioritise tax cuts for merchant bankers over the safety of our littlest Victorians.”
“This is a rash, thoughtless decision that will cost jobs – not only is Malcolm Turnbull putting children’s safety at risk and inviting unscrupulous operators back into the sector, he’s leaving the door open to cutting 15 hours of kinder for good.”
“While cuts are in the Liberals’ DNA, we’re making the investments needed so that our kids are ready for kinder, ready for school and ready for life.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020