TURNBULL BUDGET LEAVES 5,348 CHILDREN IN LALOR IN LIMBO WITHOUT FUNDING CERTAINTY

Nationwide, the Federal electorate of Lalor has topped the list of children who will be disadvantaged as a result of the Turnbull Government’s failure to provide a long term funding commitment to preschools (kindergarten).

5,348 children in Lalor are set to be worse off after the Turnbull Government failed to invest in funding for universal access to preschool and abolished funds for the National Partnership Agreement of the National Quality Agenda (NQA).

Funding for universal access to preschool will expire at the end of 2019, leaving 350,000 children Australia wide in limbo. Ultimately, this will lead to higher fees for families already experiencing record hikes, services unable to properly plan and educators left in an insecure workforce.

Funding for the current $61 million agreement for the NQA, which has been responsible for the National Quality Framework will expire at the end of this year. Minister Birmingham has effectively walked away from the NQA and shifted the responsibility for quality assurance to the States and Territories.

It is disappointing that the Turnbull Government is actively boasting about their ten year plan to cut the taxes of big business but don’t even have a one year plan for early education - this Government has its priorities all wrong.

Unlike the Turnbull Government, Labor has a proud record in early childhood education. In Government, Labor took action to reduce the financial burden of child care on families by investing $970 million to create universal access to preschool for four year olds in partnership with the States and Territories.

“It is no surprise this Government is walking away from quality early education. It has been clear in the parliament that the Turnbull Government does not understand the value of early education and are not interested in ensuring the quality of service” said Ms Ryan.

MONDAY, 14 MAY 2018

Authorised by Noah Carroll, Australian Labor Party, Canberra