Child Care News
Dutton family trust payments saga shows MP's ignorance
The West Australian - Gareth Costa - August 25, 2018The trust of which Mr Dutton is a beneficiary profits from childcare centres, giving rise to a potential breach of section 44. But what seemed to be overlooked in the legal debate was that a regular lump-sum cash payment from Federal Government coffers is of far greater credit value...
Six Geelong north childcare centres to remain open until Corio Integrated Child and Family Centre complete
Geelong Advertiser - Shane Fowles - August 24, 2018EXISTING facilities in Geelong's north will remain open until a new $13.3 million children's centre is completed. A total of six venues will be shut to make way for the consolidated Corio Integrated Child and Family Centre. Work has begun on the Purnell Rd site, adjacent to Northern Bay's...
Dutton childcare cloud exposes problem with entire sector
Sydney Morning Herald - Lisa Bryant - August 23, 2018So our possible next prime minister might be ineligible to sit in Parliament because he owns two childcare centres that receive Commonwealth funds. Clearly making decisions about childcare while simultaneously profiting from the sector is a cause for concern, but Dutton's position should force...
Legal advice on Peter Dutton points to the High Court
Financial Review - Michael Pelly - August 23, 2018The child care centres received subsidies of more than $5.6 million from 2010-18. Since July 1, the trust receives money directly from the Commonwealth in the form of a subsidy. The advice of Mr Walker and James Mack noted the "payments to the relevant entity in Mr Dutton's case...
Childcare centre south of Brisbane targeted in arson attack
9News.com.au - Mia Glover - August 23, 2018A callous case of arson is being blamed for a mammoth blaze that took hold of a childcare centre playground south of Brisbane. CCTV shows roaring flames erupting from the outdoor playground at Adam and Noah College in Heritage Park, before teams of firefighters try and battle the inferno...
'There is something broken in the childcare model': Senate Committee calls for childcare shake-up
4BC - Michael McLaren - August 23, 2018Calls for a status quo shake-up in the childcare industry will attract the ire of unionists, as pushes to ditch onerous staff-to-child ratios and relax childcare worker qualifications come to the fore. The Senate select committee on red tape has called for a review into the National Quality...
Inflation needs air, cost of living a puncture
The Australian - David Uren - August 23, 2018Childcare costs are expected to decline, after averaging 7.5 per cent a year for the past decade. "Recent changes to the childcare benefits system…lead us to expect that the cost of childcare will fall in the September quarter… There is considerable uncertainty around what the magnitude...
Charter Hall to take over Folkestone in $205m deal
The Australian - Elizabeth Redman - August 23, 2018Australia's listed property trusts are in the midst of a wave of corporate activity and more could be on the way after Charter Hall Group unveiled a $205 million takeover of funds manager and developer Folkestone. Charter Hall is also open to pursuing more takeovers if it can find the right opportunity...
Advice sought on Peter Dutton eligibility
SBS News - August 22, 2018The business interest raises questions over whether government support to the centres is a constitutional problem for Mr Dutton and whether he was involved in cabinet decisions on the childcare sector. But Mr Dutton told prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who he tried to oust in a party room vote...
Echoes of 2007 attack on Rudd over his wife's business
The Australian - Chris Merritt - August 23, 2018Mr Dutton found himself under sustained attack yesterday over whether his family trust's interests in two childcare centres breached section 44 of the Constitution, resulting in Attorney General Christian Porter seeking advice from the Commonwealth Solicitor-General on the matter...
Education sector to launch 10-year policy
Education HQ Australia - August 22, 2018Education experts are set to launch a 10-year policy vision for the sector, calling for major reforms including a Minister for Early Childhood Education. Trade union United Voice will reveal the "Big Steps" policy plan in Canberra on Wednesday. Among the 10 reforms is equal pay for educators, an investment of one per cent of gross domestic product toward early childhood education, and a Minister for Early Childhood Education, Health and Welfare...
Folkestone lifts profit in 'final' report before takeover
Financial Review - Nick Leneghan - August 22, 2018Along with its unlisted funds and syndicates, one of the platform's main strengths is the listed fund it manages, the Folkestone Education Trust, a landlord for childcare centres, which was one of the main attractions for Charter Hall. Over the fiscal 2018 year, Folkestone increased...
Defence Withdraws Support For Williamtown Preschool
News of The Area - Rachel Vaughan - August 22, 2018FAMILIES and staff of Williamtown Preschool, located currently in Raymond Terrace were left reeling this week with the decision by Defence to withdraw its support for the service. Currently the Preschool is run, along with a daycare and playgroup, from a purpose adapted facility in Raymond...
Dutton childcare company received $5.6 million in public money
Sydney Morning Herald - Kylar Loussikian & Dana McCauley - August 22, 2018A childcare company operated for Peter Dutton's family trust received more than $5.6 million in public Commonwealth funding, placing the Liberal leadership contender in danger of being ineligible to remain in Parliament. Education Department figures, released under Freedom...
Childcare workers to strike next month
Yahoo 7 News - August 22, 2018Thousands of childcare workers across Australia will walk off the job next month as part of a push to persuade the federal government to increase their pay. "This government is not taking responsibility for funding professional wages for early childhood educators," Helen Gibbons...
