Ms SACILOTTO - 2006-10-17
In the 2005 election, the government released a families package which included a $500 000 commitment to provide playground equipment for childcare centres. Could you update the House on this initiative?
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I know she is committed to ensuring we have affordable childcare in the Territory. Childcare centre playground funding is a new initiative of a $500 000 two grants program over the space of a year. We saw today the announcement of $187 000 towards playground grants to 28 community-based, non-profit childcare centres across the Territory. From Jabiru to Jingili, from Alice Springs to Alyangula, we have seen 28 community-based childcare centres benefit from this important grants program.
They chose to apply for grants to the program. The applications were for shade structures, swing sets, playground equipment, bike tracks and sandpits. In the Territory, we have a strong focus on ensuring our childcare centres are places where kids can play. We have twice the national requirement for outside play areas and play space.
These grants go to the not-for-profit centres. Parents run these centres through management committees that make the decisions on fees and services. They know that there is a lot more to childcare than simply running a business. This new grants program is in addition to the fact that the Northern Territory government is the only state or territory jurisdiction which currently subsidises childcare fees. We spend approximately $1m a year subsiding childcare for Territory families.
The next round of funding for this important grants program will open up in November. I urge all local members in the Assembly to make their community based, not-for-profit childcare centres aware of this important grants program. If centres cannot apply for grants to upgrade equipment, they ultimately need to raise that money themselves, either through fundraising efforts or, in most cases, increasing fees. So the grants program goes towards keeping childcare affordable in the Territory.
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I know she is committed to ensuring we have affordable childcare in the Territory. Childcare centre playground funding is a new initiative of a $500 000 two grants program over the space of a year. We saw today the announcement of $187 000 towards playground grants to 28 community-based, non-profit childcare centres across the Territory. From Jabiru to Jingili, from Alice Springs to Alyangula, we have seen 28 community-based childcare centres benefit from this important grants program.
They chose to apply for grants to the program. The applications were for shade structures, swing sets, playground equipment, bike tracks and sandpits. In the Territory, we have a strong focus on ensuring our childcare centres are places where kids can play. We have twice the national requirement for outside play areas and play space.
These grants go to the not-for-profit centres. Parents run these centres through management committees that make the decisions on fees and services. They know that there is a lot more to childcare than simply running a business. This new grants program is in addition to the fact that the Northern Territory government is the only state or territory jurisdiction which currently subsidises childcare fees. We spend approximately $1m a year subsiding childcare for Territory families.
The next round of funding for this important grants program will open up in November. I urge all local members in the Assembly to make their community based, not-for-profit childcare centres aware of this important grants program. If centres cannot apply for grants to upgrade equipment, they ultimately need to raise that money themselves, either through fundraising efforts or, in most cases, increasing fees. So the grants program goes towards keeping childcare affordable in the Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016