❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Community Services on the establishment of an independent early childhood office and a coordinated approach to early childhood policy. The Minister's response indicates a cautious approach, awaiting developments at the national level.
AnsweredQoN 742Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY
(1) Does the minister support the call by the Western Australian Council of Social Service for the establishment of an early childhood office as an independent statutory authority; and, if not, why not? (2) When will the Barnett government commit to a coordinated approach to early childhood policy and programs through a single agency? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
(1) Does the minister support the call by the Western Australian Council of Social Service for the establishment of an early childhood office as an independent statutory authority; and, if not, why not? (2) When will the Barnett government commit to a coordinated approach to early childhood policy and programs through a single agency? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
(2) When will the Barnett government commit to a coordinated approach to early childhood policy and programs through a single agency? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
(1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
(2) When will the Barnett government commit to a coordinated approach to early childhood policy and programs through a single agency? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
I thank the member for her question. (1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
(1)–(2) This state, along with the national government, is looking at early childhood. We are looking at it very seriously. In Western Australia, I guess because it is such a vast state, there is childcare, there is early childhood and then there is school years. I think the federal government has also just come to realise that there is a difference between the three, because Kate Ellis has just been appointed the minister for childcare, and Peter Garrett has been appointed the minister for early childhood. I have yet to see whether this will be the case, because the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs has not met since this new government has come to power, but I think we might find that there is a bit of a shift in the national partnership standards. So I am waiting to see what will happen, and we will go from there.
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