Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

The minister in his response mentioned that some of the issues might be matters that are the responsibility of state governments. In his remarks to the New South Wales childcare conference, he raised one of those, which is the matter of hygiene. In fact, he said specifically that matters of hygiene are not the role of the accreditation council and then went on to talk about redoing the spot check form. We would certainly be very concerned if matters of hygiene were not matters pursued in spot checks. We do think that these are very serious matters. Hygiene is a critical issue when small children are congregated together. I just want to know from the minister that the spot check forms are not going to exclude these matters. Yes, in some part they are the responsibility of state governments, but clearly they should nevertheless be part of a spot check.

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