Labor record on child care poor and nothing has changed

Kim Beazley’s comments on child care today amounted to nothing new, especially when you consider his own appalling record on child care, Families Minister Mal Brough said today.

Mr Brough said that a Labor promise to conduct a review of the national accreditation process was catch-up, as the Federal Government had already announced an overhaul of the accreditation process.

"Federal Labor’s comments on improving regulation also sits at odds with the general reluctance of the State and Territory Labor Governments to meet the requirements of the Child Care National Standards that they signed up to 10 years ago," Mr Brough said.

"We will continue to discuss regulation issues with the State and Territory Governments, including urging them to meet the national standards.

"However, the fact is, Labor’s record on child care is appalling compared to the Howard Government’s $10 billion investment in child care. We provide the highest level of subsidy to parents amongst comparable OECD countries.

"Under Labor, when Mr Beazley was Employment and then Finance Minister you were lucky to get a job in an era of double digit unemployment and even if you got a job there was only half the number of funded child care places.

"At State level, Labor State Governments underfund their pre-school systems, with the Iemma Labor Government alone underfunding NSW pre-schools by $90 million a year.

"Rather than listening to what Labor says in Opposition, you have to look at what Labor does when it is in office," Mr Brough said. "On child care they are appalling."