Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Thursday, Senator Kemp, who was representing the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, was asked a question concerning child care. In accordance with Senator Kemp’s undertaking to provide additional information, I am pleased to provide the Senate with the following facts. If it is appropriate, I seek leave to have it incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

The Australian Government is committed to assisting child care services to provide the best quality care for all children.

Over $75 million a year has been committed to the Inclusion and Professional; Support Programme.

Ethnic Child Care Resource Unit has been funded under this programme to provide a broad range of bicultural support, training and multicultural resources to child care services. In 2005-06 ECCRU received $349,351 for these purposes. This subcontracting arrangement is due to conclude on 30 June this year.

The new programme is based on an open competitive process which has resulted in a consistent and integrated funding model across Australia. Funding allocations will be based on a nationally consistent funding methodology.

This takes into account the number of child care services, places and children with additional needs, with a weighting for rural and remote location.

ECCRU will now be required to compete in an open tender process to deliver services under the new Inclusion and Professional Support Programme.

The tender for the ongoing delivery of bicultural support closed on 16 June. ECCRU was free to apply for this tender which is worth approximately $190,000.

It would be inappropriate for the Government to intervene in the tendering process in favour of one or more applicants.

However, under this programme the Federal Government will continue to fund child care services and rejects assertions to the contrary.