Education Minister Jason Clare was on ABC News Breakfast moments ago, where he spruiked the government’s childcare safety reforms before the legislation is introduced into parliament today.
The reforms, which were drafted following recent allegations of abuse at Australian childcare centres, will allow the government to cut funding to centres that fail to meet minimum safety standards, which Clare said was the best way to ensure improved outcomes for Australian children.
Minister for Education Jason Clare.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Childcare centres receive about $16 billion in annual taxpayer funding, which Clare said represented some 70 per cent of funding to run a centre.
“It is the biggest weapon that we have got to wield here,” Clare said. “It [public funding] pays the rent, pays the bills, pays the salaries, they cannot operate without them.
“The whole country has been sickened and shocked by the revelations that have come out of Victoria in the last few weeks, and a lot of work is needed to rebuild trust in a system that parents rely upon every single day … this legislation is part of that.”
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