The Baillieu Government has been dithering for more than two months after promising to look into alternative arrangements for families needing occasional childcare in regional Victoria, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on Children and Young Adults, Jenny Mikakos said today.
In a letter written last week Children’s Minister, Wendy Lovell confirmed she directed her department to investigate how the funding cut to the childcare program will affect families in regional areas – the same promise she made in June.
“It appears Ms Lovell has finally accepted her choice to cut funding to Take-a-Break will impact families, but has done nothing to address the shortfall in childcare which will hit regional communities the hardest,” Ms Mikakos said.
“The fact is two months have passed and Ms Lovell has nothing to show for it.
“If Ms Lovell had bothered to speak with parents and childcare workers affected by the cuts, she would realise that families will be without childcare as early as next month.
“Families in regional Victoria will take no comfort from hearing Ms Lovell say that she is looking into it – they have heard it all before.
“Time is running out, and Ms Lovell’s dithering is causing a lot of anger in regional communities.”
Ms Mikakos said the community and the Opposition had repeatedly warned the Baillieu Government its failure to support Take-a-Break would result in many communities having no access to childcare.
“Ms Lovell acknowledges that without Take-a-Break many families in regional communities will miss out completely, but she still hasn’t done the work to address the looming shortfall which could force centres to reduce hours and sack workers,” Ms Mikakos said.
“Ms Lovell promised she would produce alternative arrangement options and she should spell those out now, not after the program winds up when it will be too late.
“The popular Take-a-Break program provides parents an opportunity to have a few spare hours so they can go to appointments, undertake training or further study or simply to have some time to ‘take a break.’
“It’s time Ms Lovell recognises how important Take-a-Break is for families in regional Victoria.”