Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says a UNICEF report placing Australia third-last in the developed world for childcare is a timely sign that childcare in this country needs an urgent rethink.

UNICEF’s report, The Child Care Transition, ranked Australia 22nd out of 24 developed countries for childcare and early learning, meeting only two out of ten benchmarks.

“The collapse of ABC Learning showed up weaknesses and shortcomings in the Australian childcare sector, and now it’s been confirmed that we’re doing badly by international standards,” said Senator Hanson-Young.

“It’s just not good enough.

“The Government should take this as an opportunity to rethink childcare in Australia.”

Senator Hanson-Young said the corporatisation of childcare needed to be recognised as a failed model.

“One of the benchmarks Australia failed to meet in UNICEF’s report was spending a minimum of one per cent of gross domestic product on childcare – in fact, we spend less than half of that.

“Considering the collapse of ABC Learning, despite billions of Federal Government subsidies being poured into the childcare sector each year, it’s clear that the current arrangement isn’t working.

“It’s time for more investment and smarter investment in the care of our youngest children, with a long-term, sustainable outlook.
 
“The Government also must guarantee that any new owners of ABC Learning centres are not simply ABC look-alikes who will continue business as usual, putting profits before the needs of children and their families, and potentially putting us back to square one in a few years’ time.”

Senator Hanson-Young said Australia’s failure to meet UNICEF’s benchmark to provide adequate paid parental leave should also serve as a wake-up call to the Government.

“Now more than ever is the time to support working parents with a government-funded paid parental leave scheme,” she said.

“It’s something that the Government must include in next year’s federal Budget.”

Senator Hanson-Young said the UNICEF report highlighted the importance of the upcoming parliamentary inquiry into childcare in Australia.

“The current turmoil in the childcare sector is why I moved for this Senate Inquiry, and why the Senate supported it.

“We must find new pathways for quality, affordable, accessible childcare in Australia.”

Submissions are now open for the Senate Inquiry into the Provision of Childcare in Australia, and close on Friday 30 January 2009. Visit http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/child_care/info.htm for more info.