Childcare centre Govt intervention not warranted yet: MP
Posted
The federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, says Government intervention is not yet needed to prop up ABC childcare centres.
ABC Learning runs about a third of all child care centres in Ballarat, and also operates centres in Warrnambool, Stawell and Portland.
Yesterday, the company went into voluntary administration.
Catherine King says it is too early for the Federal Government to step in.
"We have got contingency plans in place, we have been talking to the receivers and the creditors," she said.
The state Liberal Member for western Victoria, John Vogels, says the centres cannot be allowed to close.
"They need to get in there right at the ground floor and not wait until it's too late and the centres are shut, once the doors are shut it's very hard to get them reopened," he said.
The company's receivers say they are committed to keeping all the child care centres open.
The Childcare Centres Association of Victoria says the Federal Government needs to let families know what its contingency plans are for ABC Learning centres.
The association's Frank Cousmano says the Government has not discussed any contingencies with the private sector.
"It's disappointing they have not been willing to share what those contingency plans are," he said.
"We will come together to assist the administrators and the Government to ensure that the impact on child care, parents and staff is minimal."
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