Parenting Australia

INTERVIEW WITH THE CIRCLE, CHANNEL 10 SYDNEY

KATE ELLIS: Good morning.

YUMI STYNES: Thank you. Welcome once again. Now tell us about the changes and what they mean for parents across the country.

KATE ELLIS: Well basically what we know is we've never had more children using childcare or for longer hours in Australia. We've never had more funds going into this system. And we've never had more research showing that this is the most critical time of a kid's life. This is the time when they soak up all of that information that they really need quality care.

So what we've done is we've sat down with all of the state and territory governments and we've negotiated a quality standard for childcare centres because we know that parents want peace of mind. If you're putting your child in care you want to know that they're getting the quality attention they deserve.

YUMI STYNES: So before it was different from state to state?

KATE ELLIS: Well before it was both different from - entirely different from state to state but also quite different within states. We know that there were different centres operating at different standards - some centres investing in having lots of staff members of training and having qualified staff, some centres more focusing on getting lots of kids iAnd what we want is for every parent no matter where they are in Australia no matter what centre they choose to have that peace of mind that they know that their child is getting that attention that they deserve.

GORGI COGHLAN: Okay. Let's very quickly before we move on to - we've got so many emails from our viewers who want to talk about childcare - what will in a nutshell what will I notice as a parent when I go into childcare centres that's different as a result of this system?

KATE ELLIS: Well these changes come in over a number of years so it depends what state you're in. This year for example the change that came in in staffing is that if you have for every four children under two so for every four babies you need to have one staff member present which I can't even imagine taking care of four under twos for a whole day.

GORGI COGHLAN: What was it Kate or it wasn't stipulated?

KATE ELLIS: It varied across the country.

GORGI COGHLAN: Okay.

KATE ELLIS: So this is not a change in New South Wales this was already in place from the beginning of last year. In Victoria all new centres have had to have that ratio since 2009. And it was in place in Queensland and WA. But for example in South Australia, in older centres in Victoria that wasn't the case.

And what we see is over a number of years we'll then bring in further requirements for the over two year old children for ratios. What we're basically doing is trying to have uniform arrangements. We are one country and parents right across the country have the same expectations.

GORGI COGHLAN: Let's get to our emails. We have been bombarded with people all across the country...

KATE ELLIS: Uh oh [laughs].

GORGI COGHLAN: Not all bad but a little bit of understandably people want some answers.

KATE ELLIS: Sure.

GORGI COGHLAN: This is from Louise Davidson. I am a mother and childcare worker and I must say we are one of the lowest paid professionals which, Kate, they are. I mean this is the most important part of a child's life why aren't we valuing this more from the government's perspective. I mean some of these people get eighteen dollars an hour for doing the most important job.

KATE ELLIS: Yep - no well I absolutely agree with you. I mean the government doesn’t set the wages for childcare workers. And I see firsthand how hard they work. I can't even imagine the pressure each and every day and then going home often to your own families.

I think there are a couple of things quickly - one is we not just as a government but as a community and as a society need to recognise that this used to be viewed as babysitting. This is not babysitting. This is critical early education and if we value that then we value the staff for that input that they're putting in. Then I think the wages flow from that.

But the union have said that they want to pursue higher wages. That's a process that they're going through. That goes through Fair Work Australia but I see firsthand how hard they work. I support the industry and I support those staff. I think they do a fabulous job.

HEIDI ARENA: So whether that's funding or parents - how do you get more money to those people?

KATE ELLIS: Well that's the next issue. And then it comes back to that age old balance between if we all agree that workers deserve more pay then we have to say well where's that money coming from because you've got to...

YUMI STYNES: Where's that - it's tricky...

KATE ELLIS: ...balance their wages with the affordability of the sector.

YUMI STYNES: All right.

KATE ELLIS: So does it come from parents? Does it come from government? There are many debates...

YUMI STYNES: From the government.

KATE ELLIS: ...we'll have.

[Laughter]

YUMI STYNES: Yeah easy.

Okay Michelle Wellington wants to know, I'd like to ask why rural people are being discriminated against. I've had an eighty per cent increase in childcare fees because of the funding model for rural childcare we are not entitled to any rebates.

GORGI COGHLAN: Michelle's from Victoria.

KATE ELLIS: Okay well I'd have to take up that individual case because that sounds very unusual. What we do know is where there are the largest number of vacancies is often actually in regional areas. It's in metropolitan areas that parents often really struggle to get places. But again if you're in remote Australia, if you're in very small towns then there may need to be other solutions. So I'm happy to get the details of that individual case and see why that would be.

HEIDI ARENA: Oh great. I'm really fascinated - Cassie [Marzan's] asked this question, why can't you provide a rebate to carers who aren't parents? My mum will care for my son and I will pay her. This form of childcare relieves the burdened system but is not supported. I mean that's a huge thing.

KATE ELLIS: Cassie needs to ring the Family Assistance office. We do have a payment registered care which grandparents or other relatives can access. It's not through the childcare rebate it's a different system. But if that's the agreement that they've come within their family they should check with the office.

GORGI COGHLAN: Any particular criteria for that?

KATE ELLIS: Well they should look at their individual circumstances, so work through that. The Family Assistance office we can provide you with the number will have the answers on that individual case. But we know that different families need different solutions.

GORGI COGHLAN: Right.

Okay, well unfortunately we have run out of time but that was really useful. I think it's so important to talk about this and if it means that you go to your union and push for these people to get a higher pay rise, if it means that you go to the workers themselves and say that you're going to be behind them. We've got to do something about it because it must be more accessible for Australian families.

KATE ELLIS: And if we missed out on some questions your viewers are more than welcome to email them directly to me and I will take up anything...

GORGI COGHLAN: We love that.

KATE ELLIS: ...that we can. I might regret saying that...

[Laughter]

KATE ELLIS: ...but I know how important it is that parents have the answers.

GORGI COGHLAN: Don't you know we rate over one million people every day.

KATE ELLIS: My staff are groaning right now.

GORGI COGHLAN: Please thank our very special guest this morning Federal Childcare Minister Kate Ellis.

KATE ELLIS: Thank you.

GORGI COGHLAN: Thank you.

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