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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
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 200818 May 2010 - $2.6 Million and New Data to Boost Children's Early Development
THE HON KATE ELLIS MP
MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION,
CHILD CARE AND YOUTH
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
$2.6 million and new data to boost children's early development
The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) Local Champions program was launched today by the Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care Kate Ellis.
The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) comprises of data that will help Australian communities better understand how their children are doing by the time they start formal schooling.
The new $2.6 million Local Champions program will support nominated people or organisations with local experience and expertise to work with communities to make the best use of their AEDI results and ensure that Australian children start school as happy and confident learners.
"The launch of the Local Champions program is the latest step in the Rudd Government's ongoing commitment to provide parents and communities with the information and support they need to give their children the best start in life," Ms Ellis said.
Ms Ellis also released the first Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) Community Profiles, which will help communities understand how their children are developing in the years before school.
The AEDI Community Profiles are the next step in the release of results from the 2009 AEDI national data collection, which involved over 261 000 children98 per cent of all Australian children in their first year of full-time school.
"This information helps us paint a better picture of early childhood education in every region across Australia' Ms Ellis said.
"While many Governments would run from collecting and publicising such data the Rudd Government has embraced it."
"We need to know how our young children are doing everywhere in Australia, so that we can take the necessary action to give them the best possible start in life."
The Australian Government's total investment in AEDI is almost $24.5 million.
The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) was a key election commitment and Australia is the first country in the world to collect and distribute information of this type on a national scale.
The AEDI is conducted by the Centre for Community Child Health (at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne and a key research centre of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute) in partnership with the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth.
For more information about the AEDI please visit www.aedi.org.au.
Minister Ellis' media contact: Jamila Rizvi 0438 644 603
DEEWR Media: media@deewr.gov.au Non-media queries: 1300 363 079