Child protection - a tale of two Australias

ZSRenn says:

07:19am | 12/04/11

Agreed ATM! In doing some research to formulate an answer I found this one was brought up in 2007, 2009 and now 2011.

Having lived in the bush I have seen first hand the absolutely horrible conditions faced by the children in those areas but nothing gets done.

No we just this PC rehash every two years with no result and I guess it will be waived again in our faces come election time 2013.

Phil says:

08:20am | 12/04/11

ATM Unfortunately for all Australians you will be waiting for a long time too. They are simply out of their depth.

Many on these pages would agree that there should be some sort of course to become a politition, like a MBA, not just being a lawyer, union official et al.

I know that would currently mean 90% of them would not be in parliment, but I would rather 50 great polititions than 300 shit ones any day.

Many of them have no real world experience in the areas of their portfolios or shadow portfolios.

Plus, a law should be passed, mind you I cant see either side doing this, which states that they are liable to the same extent as company directors for their actions in running the country. Proper budget papers are released to both sides, all policies costed independently therefore no pork barrelling just for the sake of getting in. I want good government not people only interested in getting their noses in the trough, helping their mates do the same.

Increase the pays by 300% so we attract the best candidates. As I said to one person at an election night function, I would love to go into politics, but could not afford the massive pay cut, unless I was PM which is unlikely. We need to attract the Gail Kelly’s, Ralph Norris, Don Argus, yes we have MT for the libs, but seriously the ALP would be better off with Therese Rudd running the show, at least she has business acumen and knows what it is to turn a profit.

I agree the ALP are currently trying to be all things to all people, they cant, better doing 3 things and doing them well than trying for 200 and stuffing most of them up like they did in their last term in office.

Sophie you are correct, we must do what is right for the kids but FFS banning an Easter Egg hunt, banning the naughty corner. Better than physical correction, and I dont think Martin Bryant, Ivan Milat and co blamed being put in the naughty corner for their mass murdering.

Involve the parents, often a kid is playing up cause there is issues at home, or they are bored. My beautiful daughter is awesome but when she gets the sh1ts look out. But at 7 she will be bought into line or faec serious consequences. I would rather discipline her at 4-9 when I can than try at 14 when I have no hope.

As for police checks for people who attend home child care when the children are there more than 7 times, I dont have an issue with this one at all. No sane parent would leave their kids knowing that just anyone can call in unless you have met and vetted them yourself personally. I have just started to allow sleep overs at 7 & 10 years old after checking out the parents, socialising with them and observing them for a minimum of 2 years first. Being careful is better than facing the consequences of your actions if things go tits up.

Tom says:

09:06am | 12/04/11

Simple acetrol, intervention.

Howard put it in and your lot killed it for politically opportunistic reasons. Surpised you even had to ask.

Rosie says:

10:52am | 12/04/11

acotrel

It wasn’t the Coalition that rushed to apologise on behalf of the Australian people to our indigenous brothers and sisters, then took all the glory for doing it. No other party has been in Govt since but your heroes! Ask yourself what have they done to benefit our indigenous people as a follow up to that historic day when Kevin Rudd, Labor PM said SORRY on our behalf???????

Listen to the Shadow Minister and instil some credibility in a Govt that you defend so foolishly. It is never to late!

Muttley says:

11:30am | 12/04/11

mighty defensive Rosie, but Acotrel asks a fair question. Its easy to throw darts, but where are the suggestions about how to improve things? This is nothing more than political points scoring.

Cate P says:

11:54am | 12/04/11

If you really want to give the opposition a chance to solve the problem, vote for them next time.  They can’t solve problems from opposition, the most they can do is keep this dreadful situation to the forefront so that it may get some attention from the current govt.  Sophie Mirabella is right, the emphasis is all wrong here.

Tom says:

12:19pm | 12/04/11

@Muttley, as above, the answer intervention. Her side of politics implemented something and your lot tore it down out of pure spite and bastardry.

@Acetrol and Muttley. Please answer the question. Why did your heroes from Labor purposely destroy an up and running initiative designed to protect children? What has Labor got against aboriginal children?

Stop bothering Sophie and answer it yourselves. Otherwise go back to Labor, staffers “whatever it takes” Land.

Rose says:

03:12pm | 12/04/11

The Intervention is no more than a paternalistic land grab with virtually no measures which guarantee any extra protection for children. Independent studies have proven that the Intervention is an incredibly expensive failure. The authors of the ‘Little Children are Sacred’ report are broken-hearted that the recommendations of their report were rejected in order for Howard to return to the bad old days of Aboriginal control. How about looking at the actual recommendations of that report, as well as other reports that offer at least a fighting chance of success. The key thing is that Howard did not act with any sense of respect for Aboriginals or their culture, but it came from his own superiority complex

John A Neve says:

03:54pm | 12/04/11

Acotrel,
“YOU suggest what needs to be done to protect Aboriginal children from abuse”.
Well for a start you could take them away from their families. Most, if not all abuse is from a family member or family friend.
But this applys not just to Aboriginal children, it applys to all abused children.

Once again, this is not a political issue, it’s a social one and face it society does not care. This is not new, it’s been going on for centuries.

acotrel says:

08:13pm | 12/04/11

@John A Neve So we’re going to have another ‘stolen generation’ - how original?  I wonder how Andrew Bolt’s court case is going.? Murdoch press is noticably silent on it these days!  And good ol’ Andy is looking glum!

John A Neve says:

11:40am | 13/04/11

Acotrel,

The term “stolen generation” is just a media beat-up. Based on all I’ve read and that is a fair bit, The bulk of the children taken from their families were better off. But that is not the issue here.

I repeat child abuse is both an old and ongoing issue, most, yes, most abuse is by family or friends. Societies prime concern should be to remove the child from danger and the best way of doing that is to remove the child from it’s family.

Deena says:

08:28am | 12/04/11

I’ve been following Seano on the Punch the last few days and really wanted to see all the points of views before saying this. Seano doesn’t like to be challenged and when he can’t defend his view he starts calling people names or dimisses their arguments.

This is very immature. And saying you voted for the Libs as a way out is oh so uncool. Are you really a teacher? I feel so sorry for your students!

I mean think about it, are these reforms so essential at this point in time. And what has been done to make progress in Aboriginal children’s care. I work in remote communities and haven’t see the Federal government add one iota to making the situation better, if anything it has gotten worse.

Kevin Rudd is on the attack for a reson at this point in time, word from Canberra is that internal ALP polling shows primary support at close to 28%, that is even lower than the Newspoll figures. No wonder Julia is escaping to Japan at the end of the month, they can’t fire her while she is out of the country!

And as for scoring cheap political points, I think promising not to implement a carbon tax and than going back on your word really takes the cake.

Andy says:

08:44am | 12/04/11

A teacher? You spend almost everyday, all day on here.  Unless your a diferent Seano, ignore my comment if you are.

ZSRenn says:

09:03am | 12/04/11

@ Seano Buddy, Pal, Chum, Cobber, Mate. The money wasted doing police checks etc that could be spent fixing the real issues that we face as a country is the correlation here. 

How many reports on how many individuals does this entail? I would suggest thousands and in a very short time the backlog would mean that the deliveries of goods would stop. Simple repairs would become impossible endangering the children they are trying to protect on so many levels. I have been trying to get a Federal Police report done on myself for a personal reason and the application has been 2 months in the processing without this added burden.

Then let’s have a look at the intrusion on honest hard working family men and women such as you being subject to Police reports. Sure you can argue if you have nothing to hide then what is your concern but if this was the law in China people would be jumping up and down screaming human rights abuse. 

Unfortunately blinkered GAL coalition supporters such as yourself justifying such ridicules legislation rather than setting up cheap and inexpensive mentoring protocols for visitors is the crux of the problem we face and does not allow us to deal with the real issues.

Now please reply with some inane comment about how I reflect you in my observation below without listening to my argument.

TimB says:

09:14am | 12/04/11

The funny thing is Deena, some time ago when I told him I voted Labor in 2003, he waved it off with a ‘yeah right, sure’. It didn’t fit into his preconcieved opinions of me so he just ignored it as irrelevant. Yet here he is holding his recent Liberal vote as some sort of proof of how balanced he is.

I honestly don’t give Seano any credit for voting Liberal at the state election. He probably did, but so what? So did most of the state. It was a goddamn landslide. Look how bad Labor had to get to make him switch his vote. Even then he did it reluctantly.

As for his teaching, from what I understand he’s merely a substitute teacher at a primary school. He’s a glorified babysitter. Explains the immaturity, he’s more used to dealing with kids than he is adults.

Seano says:

09:56am | 12/04/11

@Deena:

“I mean think about it, are these reforms so essential at this point in time. And what has been done to make progress in Aboriginal children’s care.”

No you think about it, how are these reforms and doing something about Aboriginal Children’s care mutually exclusive?

PS. I like the way you start your comment with the pretence of the concerned citizen giving poor old Seano the benefit of the doubt before sticking the boot in with unnecessary and irrelevant personal comments. You can challenge me on what I’ve SAID all you want, when you start with personal comments it’s not me being uncool and immature.

@Andy – It is school holidays champ. And as for spend every day here…get a grip sometimes I go weeks without posting. But if you dare to challenge conservative hive thinking you draw a lot of heat from morons so the assumption is I’m here a lot when I’m not.

@ZSRenn - “The money wasted doing police checks etc that could be spent fixing the real issues that we face as a country is the correlation here.”

Child care centres have a duty of care to protect children. Being as it’s 7 visits before you have to get a check at a family centre it doesn’t seem unreasonable to a sensible person.

It’s hardly likely to be as many checks as you make out if you look at it sensibly. A police check is about 35 bucks and quite quick, I have no idea what a Federal Police report is but it doesn’t sound like the same thing at all.

You let yourself down with the way you started and ended your comment.

@Tiny Timmy

1. How surprising that this blogs admitted troll and resident cyber bully would chip in to support someone else who can’t make a comment without getting personal and irrelevant in the first instance.

2. I am not a conservative but I said I was voting LNP before the election and gave my reasons. It’s illogical (try to keep up) to recommend LNP and then not vote for them, there’s no point. I point out I voted LNP because anyone criticising anything conservative on this blog immediately gets a stack of responses from rabid right wing ranters claiming you’re a Labor stooge.

3. I said that as you’d never posted anything but anti-Labor bile and based on your lack of credibility (as a right wing cyber bully) that I found it hard to believe you voted Labor. I’d be happy to take a comment like that on face value from any decent sensible person, you are neither.

How do I know you’re neither decent or sensible? It’s scumbag comments like this that give you away:

“As for his teaching, from what I understand he’s merely a substitute teacher at a primary school. He’s a glorified babysitter. Explains the immaturity, he’s more used to dealing with kids than he is adults.”

No teacher is a “glorified babysitter” they all have important roles in our society because they are teaching the future of our society. And the need for you to make such a low comment with no attempt whatsoever to address the issue being discussed says more about your maturity than mine.

BTW Kudos for yet again not bothering to challenge my arguments. Kudos for yet again getting needlessly and pointlessly personal because you can’t see past your hate. I am not feeding the troll today, you can rant on with your personal BS all you want. You’re irrelevant and so are your comments.

TimB says:

11:31am | 12/04/11

“1. How surprising that this blogs admitted troll and resident cyber bully…” blah blah blah.

In your fantasy world perhaps. I’ve never admitted any such thing. I defy you to find a post of mine where I did.

Poor Seano, anytime he gets challenged by people he thinks he’s being “bullied”. Suck it up princess. You don’t get to whine about me not having a point because any time I do, you just ignore it like the immature coward you are.

Any time you want to have a rational mature debate about something, I’ll indulge you, like I do with many other mature posters here. But as long as your posts contain name-calling, hypocricy, sweeping assumptions and other general unpleasantness, you won’t get any respect from me.

PS. A disclaimer for any teachers reading this:

I should point out that despite Seano’s reaction to my comments, I by no means disparage all teachers. Seano is right in that they do perform a vital function.
However, *subsititute* teachers on the other hand, paticuarly primary school ones, occupy a far less demanding role IMO.

Seano says:

11:44am | 12/04/11

@Timmy - I’m not feeding the troll and therefore I’m not bothering to read your comment. You lead out with a needless, pointless but typical personal attack with no attempt what so ever to discuss the issue and therefore anything you have to say is completely irrelevant.

Against the Man says:

02:11pm | 12/04/11

Thanks Seano for your comments. The Punch isn’t fun without my favourite whipping boy to push around. Everyone is seeing you for what you are.

Seano - when the going gets tough he pretends to be a Liberal or he says (in a high, whiny childish voice) ‘I’m not going to read your post, you are insane, I’m not going to back up my statements because I’m a super smart teacher who can say whatever he wants’ HaHa what a funny ALP troll.

Please keep posting Seano, this forum wouldn’t be the same without you. The ALP is going downhill fast and morons like you aren’t cushioning the impact.

And in case you didn’t read my link from before, looks like the ALP is screwing your colleagues across the Tasmin.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/08/3185707.htm
Lets put this on the backburner while we ‘save’ the children.

$400 million from health research
$200 million from education
What $300 million for the dental scheme
What else haven’t we been told about?
So the ALP is slashing and burning and taxing to make up for economic wastage, absolutely megafreaking brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any comments?
I know you are too cowardly to respond with a sensible counter argument…........keep up the stupidity Seano, the Labor movement can’t move backwards without the likes of you

ZSRenn says:

02:57pm | 12/04/11

@Seano buddy, chum, pal, cobber, digger, mate and legend in your own lunch box.

In Australia at the moment there are about 14000 care centers each of these would have cleaners through every night. I would not be over exaggerating facts if we said each school needed 2 cleaners. 7 days 7 visits police check required. That’s 28000 police checks at $35.00 a cool $1,000,000 right there and I haven’t even begun with holiday staff.

I do not think it is unfair to assume each school would require a plumber or an electrician at least 7 times a year. Another $1,000,000 spent unless you are suggesting the schools ring round the yellow pages and get a different one every time they need one.

Stationary supplies require a visit a month so another $500,000

Laundry up to 4 visits a month another $500,000.

That’s $3,000,000 gone already and a total of 100,000 extra police checks.

Or as you say just keep using different people every time. Good luck to the school owner who does that and then gets burnt letting in any old Tom, Dick or Harry to save the cost of the police check when the shit hits the fan. Not much duty of care there pal bringing 100 different people into the environment when 5 or 6 would have done just to avoid the police check.

$3,000,000 that would be better placed being used for outback centre care.

However compared to the waste this government has already been responsible for I guess you are right and its only a drop in the ocean.

Seano says:

04:16pm | 12/04/11

@ZSRenn - the problem with your imaginary figures besides the fact that they are imaginary of course that they were talking family run day care so the numbers of utility staff you’re making up are already way over estimated. That aside we’re talking about child protection I’m surprised any right minded person would put a price on that.

@AtM – I am about as interested in your personal attacks and general insanity as I am those of the rest of the right ring trolls. I’m certainly not about to engage in a debate on points I haven’t made with someone who leads out with personal attacks and let’s face it has not just one screw loose.

Against the Man says:

04:47pm | 12/04/11

Told you he would rather call me names than debate the points. A ALP/Gilltard slave of the 1st class order. Well done buddy boy for proving me right .....again

It seems your immaturity has been noticed by others. I wonder what you would do if your own students behaved in this childish manner?

Please don’t ever give us any signs of intelligence, I’m enjoying myself watching you flounder like a fish out of water.

Seano says:

06:14pm | 12/04/11

@AtM - It’s amusing how you continue to post trolling comments and then want to be taken seriously as a commenter.

ZSRenn says:

07:04pm | 12/04/11

@ Seano Mate, Cobber, Pal, Digger, Champ, Chum. I never make up figures. I do apologize I should have put in the link to the Australian Government website I used.

http://www.mychild.gov.au/documents/docs/StateChildCareAus.pdf

There you go straight from the horses mouth me old cock!

Against the Man says:

07:19pm | 12/04/11

Oh Seano the coward, let me slam you into the wall again. Ouch $650 million down the drain thanks to the Gilltard led Labor!

http://www.6minutes.com.au/news/gp-patient-burden-on-eds-is—flawed

I bet somewhere in ALP land someone is praying to God that Seano would disappear and stop giving Against the Man the power and motivation to systematically dismantle the already hopeless ALP government!

Thanks Seano, without you, I would not be this motivated!

Can’t wait for the next bunch of insults, I have more issues to promote!!!!!!!!!

Seano says:

08:03pm | 12/04/11

@AtM - You can continue your irrelevant rants on irrelevant topics about which I have stated no opinion. You are wasting your time I am not interested in anything a troll has to say no matter how desperately you want my attention.

You can’t sanely post trolling personal attacks and then expect to be taken seriously.

@ZSRenn - where in that document does it say anything at all about staffing levels in FAMILY RUN day care centres? Your figures are imaginary and this document doesn’t change that in anyway.

But that’s all beside the main point. I’ll ask you again do you think it’s appropriate that someone who regularly attends a family daycare centre which has a duty of care to the children in its care, not be vetted? We’re not talking one or two visits we’re talking seven.

Do you think it’s appropriate that you put a price on child safety?

ZSRenn says:

09:19pm | 12/04/11

@ Seano Mate, Digger, Pal, Chum, Cobber, legend in your own lunch box.

I made the mistake of assuming you might be some one with common sense. I am also starting to wonder if you are the GAL coalition troll that ATM says you are but instead a LNP troll who wants me to keep answering stupid questions so that the feeblest minded reader of the Punch gets the point. I also stand by my research and by my figures.

I at no time make the claim that the children in these centers should not be protected but argue the point that it can be done much cheaper using a simple mentoring system. i.e. a staff member stays with the visitor until the work is complete and many of these jobs can be done whilst no children are present at the school.

You on the other hand argue that an army of visitors be allowed to roam the corridors of the school as they will only visit once or twice a year. It only takes 1 person 1 time to visit to use the opportunity to cause harm. Then you accuse me of not having the best interests of the children at heart.

I say that it is you that does not have the interest of children at heart as you would see valuable money wasted on this ridicules scheme which would offer poor protection at best if the loopholes you suggested were exercised. 

You would see this limited protection given to city children whilst rural and aboriginal children are allowed to roam the streets picking up discarded wine casks to drink because alcoholic parents have passed out. Those children unfed, unwashed and uncared for.

It is you Seano that really does not have the care of children in mind or only wishes for those children that have means to be protected whilst 1000’s are left to their own devices because they are poor and by your reckoning not worth protecting.

Against the Man says:

09:39pm | 12/04/11

Classic Seano reply

The boy sure can win a debate - ignore the FACTS and call people names.

A teacher huh? Good luck future Australians HaHaHa!!!!!!

Seano says:

11:22pm | 12/04/11

@ZSRenn

“I made the mistake of assuming you might be some one with common sense. “

I’m not the one providing false figures. You made them up and then back them up with a document that doesn’t actually say anything about staffing levels.

“I at no time make the claim that the children in these centers should not be protected but argue the point that it can be done much cheaper using a simple mentoring system. i.e. a staff member stays with the visitor until the work is complete and many of these jobs can be done whilst no children are present at the school. “

We are talking about family run day care centres. They usually are staffed by a small number of people so whilst they’re off supervising visitors who’s looking after the children or doing the other many jobs around the place, what if the visitor is there for a whole day. It’s not practical.

“roam the corridors of the school as they will only visit once or twice a year”

Once again it’s 7 times in 12 months for one individual. It is not reasonable to suggest your day care centre is going to be visited by the same plumber 7 times in one year. Also repeatedly misrepresenting the numbers doesn’t actually give you an argument.

“It only takes 1 person 1 time to visit to use the opportunity to cause harm.”

True and it’s much more likely that harm will be caused by someone who has not been cleared for child safety than someone who has. Such acts aren’t usually one off or crimes of opportunity, they are usually the act of a serial offender; often one who seeks to find their way into a situation that puts them into contact with children.

” Then you accuse me of not having the best interests of the children at heart.”

I did not. I asked you if you were putting a price on the safety of children. Your argument, besides thinly veiled personal digs has been largely been to inflate the size of the costs involved and to say that there’s a cheaper way. What I’m saying is that when you put the costs into a sensible perspective and realise that the safer way is for people in REGULAR contact to be cleared for child safety which is relatively cheap and quick to do, than this is a more particular solution.

Also I and several other sensible people on this thread have already pointed out (quite politely despite the invective) that addressing disadvantage in Aboriginal communities and improving the situation in day care centres is in NO WAY MUTALLY EXCLUSIVE. To tie them together in this way a fairly obvious attempt to set up a strawman argument.

PS. Dude, I’ve tried to be polite. If the opinions of the trolls are important to you then by all means sign up with them but don’t make the mistake of thinking that I give a flying #@*$ what any of them think. Play the ball not the man.

Seano says:

11:27pm | 12/04/11

@AtM - I’ll repeat until it sinks through your meds, I am not interested in debating trolls.

ZSRenn says:

09:45am | 13/04/11

@ Seano

1. Common sense would argue that 5 people entering a day care centre 7 times each year is not an over exaggeration.

2. There are 14000 day care centers in Australia if we were only talking about the privately owned ones you should have pointed that out at the beginning of the conversation but Miss Mirabella makes no assumption in her story.

3. 14000 x 5 x $35.00 = $2,450,000

4. You were the one that suggested the cost would not be as high if day care centers rang around the yellow pages every time they needed something so as to avoid the police check.

5. I have lived in the bush with the Aboriginal children and have seen how important $2,450,000 would be to them and that they need it now

6. Your constant use of terms like Dude Chum Pal Cobber Mate are derogatory you know it and that is why you use these jibes. Pot calling kettle black I say.

7. Thanks for the opportunity to once again state my case.

Seano says:

10:57am | 13/04/11

@ZSRenn

1. No that remains your exaggeration. These are small family run operations.

2. Yes she does, I quote:
“Family Day Care providers have to ensure police checks are carried out any relative who visits their home more than seven times a year.”

3. Even on your manufactured figures for an individual centre you’re talking $185 for child safety, doesn’t seem a lot at all when it comes to protecting children.

4. The cost would not be that high because it’s 7 times in on 1 year per individual. There’s obviously been a common sense attempt to limit having to get checks for non-regular visitors.

5. The point isn’t aboriginal children at all as has been pointed out by several people this was an obvious strawman from Sophie in linking these two issues. That said you think the solution to aboriginal disadvantage is throwing money at the problem? Besides there’s a basic flaw in your logic here. The money for police checks comes from the day care centre and goes to the pay the admin costs for the check. Any money saved from not protecting children with these checks isn’t available for the public purse to be redistributed somewhere else, it stays in the pocket of the day care centre owners.

6. Rarely in the first instance champ but I’m always happy to return serve.

7. You’re welcome.

ZSRenn says:

12:17pm | 13/04/11

@Seano
The point is I have seen the suffering of Aboriginal children with my own eyes. This is little children suffering in the most horrible conditions. Its third world conditions in Australia’s back yard and for you latte sippers in the cities to deny it is one of the coldest bastard acts I think I have read in the pages of The Punch.

The money wasted with the implementation of these new regulations alone would have gone along way to assist what is a dire situation and those that deny it should really get on a bus to Doomadgee or the like and have a look for them self.

You think your self more civilized and forward thinking and yet you let your own people suffer with out any care. If this is the selfish state of the GAL coalition mind then I want no part of it. If others call it names without credible argument then separate them from me

That’s $185 / care center which is $2,450,000 spent and 100,000 police checks wasting valuable police time also which could be better spent in law enforcement. $2,450,000 better spent helping defensless children.

Less than 5 people enter your home more than 7 times a year?  Very lonely existence but I can understand why.

I think my work is done and any reader who gets beyond this point fully understands my argument.

Seano says:

01:31pm | 13/04/11

@ZSRenn

Nice change of tact. The issue is not about aboriginal disadvantage that’s a strawman. Implementing changes to child care regulations does not stop efforts to address aboriginal disadvantage.

I think it’s also fairly callous to be using aboriginal disadvantage to make a political point about “latte sippers in the cities” (and you know where you can stick that comment btw champ) when the situation for Aboriginals was the same when Howard entered office as when he left. I personally don’t think either side has much to be proud of when it comes to the plight of the Aborigines in this country although at least Labor had the courage to apologise.

But the main point when it comes to THIS argument, and I want you to read this slowly is that IMPLEMENTING CHANGES TO CHILD CARE RULES DOES NOT PRECLUDE ACTION TO END ABORIGINAL DISADVANTAGE. To argue otherwise is to suggest that all government business should stop until the aboriginal issue is solved. It’s a silly argument for silly people.

“That’s $185 / care center which is $2,450,000 spent and 100,000 police checks wasting valuable police time also which could be better spent in law enforcement. $2,450,000 better spent helping defensless children.”

1. Your figures are bogus.
2. It’s not a waste of police time if it protects one child.
3. That money pays for the checks and comes from the CHILD CARE CENTRE it is not coming from the government and therefore not available to be spent on anything else.
4. The best way to protect children is to identify people who are a risk to them.

“Less than 5 people enter your home more than 7 times a year?  Very lonely existence but I can understand why.”

I think you are being deliberately obtuse because no one could be this mentally challenged and still able to post on a blog surely. I’ll repeat the SAME person has to enter the premises 7 times in 1 Year. If you’re suggesting that you have the same plumber come to your home/business 7 times in one year you’re clearly talking bullshit.

“I think my work is done and any reader who gets beyond this point fully understands my argument.”

Your argument can be surmised as invective laden misunderstanding of the facts (if intentional you’ve got issues, if unintentional you’ve got bigger issues), completely made up figures and a strawman misdirection on the issue of aboriginal disadvantage.

Cate P says:

01:40pm | 12/04/11

Here is responsible minister Kate Ellis’s contact details:
http://www.kateellis.com.au/contact/  I am sure she would be able to help you with your query about the lack of child care places.  Possibly it could be partly due to the new laws governing staffing levels and qualifications and the costs involved in enacting these?

Lyndal says:

08:12am | 13/04/11

Hi Cate,

I agree that this is part of the problem, I just want my elected representative (aka Sophie Mirabella) to be part of the solution.

Cheers

TChong says:

11:14am | 12/04/11

I reckon shes Bronny Bishops apprentice.
Side by side they stood while the Big A roused the comalco convention to level that very nearly resembled Glenn Becks “Jesus is my pal” parade , similar line ups both sides of the mike.

fairsfair says:

11:29am | 12/04/11

not very thick then? She has a fantastic Mediterranean complexion that I would kill for. One that looks tip top with only a swipe of mascara and a bit of lip gloss.

Why you must resort to attacking her as a person when on occasion you may potentially have a point underneath all of it, I will never know.

jf says:

02:35pm | 12/04/11

You don’t like Sophie Mirabella, that’s pretty obvious.

However, from the lack of criticism, I can only assume that you agree with the points she was making.

Syl says:

04:53pm | 12/04/11

So Knemon and TChong

In the absence of an argument you fall back to personal insults.  How suprising.

For once try and come up with a rebuttal on the actual points made in an article rather than just trolling the same monotonous party line, day in and day out.  Engaging your brain can be fun!  You should try it some time.

FG says:

10:54pm | 12/04/11

Why do you always have to resort to personal attacks TChong, are you unable to mount a decent argument about anything? Pathetic.

TM says:

11:24am | 12/04/11

What do you care about our children.

This piece of shit of a government had loaded our children with $187B of debt and are not even covering the interest component which is $10B a year and rising. Yet they fool the economic iliterate with once we get into surplus every thing will be rosy.

I’ve never seen such a disgusting bunch of nation wreckers in my life! Full of useless men and women who could not even run a business, little lone a country.

Disgusting creeps!

Seano says:

11:42am | 12/04/11

Our national debt is a fraction of our annual income and with a clear play in place to pay it back screaming “nation wreckers” is a tad melodramatic.

Slick says:

11:59am | 12/04/11

My youngest is still in Family Day Care. Her carer has been a family friend for 15 years and has been doing FDC for over 25 years. Even though she is a fantastic second mother to her children, she is thinking of stopping.
This on top of all the recent training (diploma in early childhood) are going to wipe out FDC. You will be paying more than you can earn for childcare, and you will find a lot of previous childcare assistants out of work. The only thing this will do is bring more “back yard” care in. Yes, you will lose out of CCB, but really I think it would still be cheaper.
Please start thinking about the people you represent. Not just some of them, but ALL of them. Stop, Look and think “is this really needed?”.
Some of the rules and laws and taxes the government is currently coming out with are so short sighted that I have to just shake my head and wonder how someone even thinks of something like that.

P.S - Indiginous issues will not be fixed by talking to someone who has never spent time in the communities. Try talking to the respected elders and leaders within the communities, and the people who have worked with them for many years. Most of the times, if you ask the right person, they will have a solution.
Please start to think harder about what Australians really want from you as our government.

Seano says:

12:12pm | 12/04/11

“reduced services” hardly sounds like nation wrecking.

James1 says:

12:50pm | 12/04/11

“little lone the $187B”

Almost beats “hyperbowl”.  Awesome stuff.

Cate P says:

01:50pm | 12/04/11

They adjusted taxation to give partnered mothers a real choice to stay at home with their kids.  A fantastic boost to the provision of high quality child care with a great adult/child ratio.  I will always be glad of that.

acotrel says:

08:22pm | 12/04/11

‘The Labor government was elected just in time to have to deal with the shambles left by the collapse of ABC Leaning. ‘

And whose mates owned that company?