Janelle Saffin (Page, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to present a petition, with the certification letter from the Secretary of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Petitions, on behalf of a large number of Australian citizens, with many in my electorate of Page. The principal petitioner is Ms Bianca Urbina, a Northern Rivers resident and a passionate advocate for community not-for-profit preschools, or, more correctly, for our children. The Commonwealth childcare tax rebate and funding of $125 million per annum on a recurrent basis is the subject of the petition. I seek leave to table an accompanying letter signed by Ms Urbina on behalf of Children’s Choice, an advocacy organisation.

Leave granted.

In Page, there are 38 preschools: three government and 35 non-government. I visited some before and after the election, beginning with a longstanding one, Ballina Fox Street Preschool, and I have a plan to visit them all. In New South Wales there are 936 preschools: 755 are non-government community managed, 81 are private and 100 are government. Average attendance hours are 17 per week. In New South Wales there is a shortfall in funding to preschools. The rise of $17.5 million they did receive in 2006 was a welcome one but it was the first in nearly 17 years. That is a long time between drinks.

There is also a split between DOCS and the Department of Education and Training in their management. The DET ones are free or with nominal contributions; community ones of course have fees and, given the funding they receive, it is hard for parents to manage if they want their children to go to preschool—and who doesn’t? You usually have to send them to the nearest preschool to your home or your place of work. If every school had one, it would be ideal.

In comparative surveys, Australia rates as one of the two lowest spending countries among 34 comparable countries, including our OECD partners. The Rudd Labor government made an election commitment to provide funding for all four-year-olds to attend preschool for 15 hours per week for 40 weeks per year. This was warmly received by parents, grandparents, carers and all those engaged in children’s and education services. Ms Urbina and a larger group of preschool management committee members and parents came to see me to discuss this and the other state issues.

To implement its policy on preschools and child care, the government has established the position of Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Childcare, held by the Hon. Maxine McKew, and the Office of Early Childhood Education and Childcare. Implementing this commitment means that, by 2013, children will be accessing preschool for 15 hours a week for 40 weeks a year. The education will be delivered by degree-qualified early childhood teachers in public, private and community based preschools and childcare. I conclude by praising the wonderful work done by our preschool communities.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament:

The petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the House the funding crisis facing the not-for profit community based preschools in New South Wales. The State Government has failed preschool aged children—only 60% of four-year-old children in New South Wales attend preschool compared to 96% nationally. New South Wales has the highest preschool fees in Australia (average $33/day) whereas in other states preschool fees are less than $8/day or free.

Your petitioners therefore request the House increase the affordability of preschools by extending the 30% Commonwealth Childcare Tax Rebate to the preschool system. Your petitioners also request that the Commonwealth intervene with an injection of $125m annual recurrent funding for community not-for-profit preschools in New South Wales.

from 369 citizens

Petition received.