The Labor Opposition has been forced to take legal action to secure a report into the occasional childcare program Take-a-Break after the Baillieu Government blocked its release.
Documents were today lodged with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) seeking to have the KPMG report into the effectiveness of the program released.
Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on Children and Young Adults, Jenny Mikakos said the Baillieu Government had previously blocked Labor’s Freedom of Information request for the report.
“The Baillieu Government has refused to provide the $1.9 million needed to continue the Take-a-Break program, and now the Minister for Children, Wendy Lovell is desperate to stop this report from being released,” Ms Mikakos said.
“Many families who have been left without childcare because of Mr Baillieu’s funding cuts must be wondering what Ms Lovell has to hide.
“We have filed the documents in the hope the Baillieu Government will be required to publicly release the report.
“The ball is firmly in the Government’s court. Ms Lovell can either spend taxpayers’ money to continue to block the release of the report, or she can release it immediately.”
Ms Mikakos said it was disappointing the Baillieu Government’s secrecy had forced the Opposition to take this action.
“The Baillieu Government took office last year on a promise of being open and transparent,” she said.
“However with thousands of parliamentary questions ignored and dozens of freedom of information requests denied, it’s now clear Mr Baillieu’s promises are nothing but empty rhetoric.”