....they think we're dummies. Crucial to the childcare debate is the issue of the childcare rebate. In other words, the financing of childcare is becoming a huge issue and the government needs to address it. ABC Learning Centres have become the monolith of the Australian childcare system creaming, if not milking, its turnover and profits on the basis of childcare subsidies. Even their URL http://childcare.com.au/ is designed to look generic. They are the world's largest listed childcare provider. They have moved into the US with the takeover of Learning Care and this will be used as a base for expansion across North America including Canada. Could this be said to be the globalized corporation that Australian taxpayers and Australian toddlers built? It is a world away from community and parent controlled childcare.The Treasurer, Peter Costello, is planning to spend $9.2 billion on childcare over the next four years. How will this benefit the children in childcare, working parents, and ABC Learning Centres? Above all, how will it benefit women like Philippa Waters who have to withdraw from the workforce, withdraw from a promising career, withdraw from community productivity because the community which benefits from her workforce participation will not give her a fair go in childcare provision, costs, affordability and accessibility.
Technorati tags Childcare Child care Childcare rebate Child care rebate ABC Learning Centres Learning Care Group Peter Costello Philippa Waters
