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Kate is passionate about contributing to public debate on a wide range of important issues. Here are some of the issues she has touched on in the past.
- Should successful athletes have to pay back the AIS 10 Jun 2009
- Let's give youth voice now for a better future 12 Oct 2008
- Organ donation it's the greatest gift of all 21 Sep 2008
- Is safe sex message falling on deaf ears 31 Aug 2008
- Grassroots funding is key to Olympic glorys 10 Aug 2008
- Easy to overlook big issue of homelessness 20 Jul 2008
- Trailblazer Natasha leaves lasting legacy 29 Jun 2008
- Heavy hitters boost our World Cup hopes 01 Jun 2008
- Youth Forum Discussion Paper 17 May 2008
- We can't take sport for granted 11 May 2008
- Women truly can do anything be anything 20 Apr 2008
- Let the Games begin with all our athletes 30 Mar 2008
- Proud past but future a challenge for women 09 Mar 2008
- Young people will be heard at highest level 17 Feb 2008
- Our nation has changed dramatically in three weeks 16 Dec 2007
- Mobile Phone Towers 23 Sep 2007
- Bradken Foundry 01 Jul 2007
- Full Fees 03 Jun 2007
- Eating Disorders 17 Dec 2006
- Iraq 27 Jul 2006
- Electoral Laws 26 Jun 2006
- Dental 08 Jan 2006
- Make Poverty History 18 Sep 2005
2009
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2005
Media Releases
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 200806 Aug 2009 - Child care vacancies to go online for the first time
The Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Kate Ellis, today announced that child care vacancy information will be available to parents online for the first time, under new changes to child care reporting requirements.
Under the changes all child care services from next week will be required to report the number of vacant places for each day of the week - based on a new standard definition.
This improved vacancy information will be made available to families via the Child Care Access Hotline as soon as services report the new data and in an Australian first will also be available on www.mychild.gov.au in the coming months.
The inclusion of this information on 'mychild' will make it easier for parents to compare services and select appropriate care for the particular needs of their family.
Today's announcement demonstrates that the Government is delivering on its commitment to increase transparency in the child care industry and to ensure that parents have the information necessary to make important decisions about care for their children.
Through the 'mychild' website, the Government is providing a comprehensive childcare hub which includes information on locations, fees, services and early learning programs via a searchable database of more than 8000 child care providers.
Vacancy information had previously been determined by individual child care services, with no common definition, making it difficult for parents to compare availability.
The new standard definition is crucial to providing parents with accurate, useful and comparable information.
Increasing the availability of information for parents provides real support for families and empowers them to make the best choices for themselves and their children.
The Australian Government is committed to continue improving the information available for families so they can easily find child care services that suit their particular needs.
Providing accessible, affordable and high quality early childhood education and care for all Australian families is a key priority for the Australian Government.
This announcement builds on the Government's National Quality Agenda which aims to raise the quality and national consistency of early education and care across Australia while providing better information to parents.
For more information log on to www.mychild.gov.au.