Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to thank the member for Longman for the question. I know that he recognises what a momentous week this has been for the Australian childcare sector. With some 570 childcare centres transferred from ABC Learning to GoodStart, this is a momentous occasion for Australian child care. In the member for Longman’s electorate alone, this covers some 14 centres, which are providing care for some 900 children. We know that the families that are relying upon those services and those centres will be very relieved to know that there will be security and quality delivered through those centres going forward.

We on this side of the House know that when ABC Learning collapsed in late 2008 it sent unprecedented shockwaves through the childcare market in Australia. At risk of closing without a moment’s notice were some 1,000 centres that were providing care for 62,000 families and that were employing thousands of dedicated staff.

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