Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young asked me a question about when did the minister first know of the situation with regard to ABC Learning and when was the task force established. That is clearly the second part of the question I am addressing. I would like to indicate that, in terms of the actions of the task force, the government is moving to reassure parents and workers involved with ABC Learning Centres and is obviously working with the receiver. When a receiver comes into a business and finds parts of the business are unprofitable, the receiver would normally immediately act either to close or to rationalise those unprofitable parts of the business. But the government has provided assistance to the ABC Learning receiver to ensure that the centres are able to open until 31 December.

As to the specific question on when the minister was first aware, I am not able to provide the senator with further information at this point. I will seek further advice from the minister on that particular aspect of the question.