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

Yesterday the ABC Learning receiver announced that the majority of the company’s childcare centres will continue to operate in 2009. A total of 656 centres will go on trading as normal. The receiver’s announcement gives parents and employees a measure of certainty less than a month after the company went into receivership. The receiver believes there is ‘a sustainable business model’ for these centres. That is great news for thousands of parents and for staff of the centres. The government is working closely with the receiver to determine future arrangements for the remaining 386 centres which are still under review. The receiver expects that a number of these centres will also remain open. We should know more on that matter next week. As for the suggestion that the Commonwealth should buy them: as the receiver made clear yesterday, and I am sure Senator Polley is aware, these centres are not for sale.

The government has taken strong and decisive action to minimise disruption to families and workers. On 7 November the Minister for Education committed up to $22 million in conditional funding to ensure that all ABC centres remain open and provide care until at least 31 December. This support has allowed the receiver to work out an orderly transition program. As far as the government is concerned, the interests of parents, their children and the ABC Learning employees come first. That is why we have acted to maintain the continuity and stability— (Time expired)