Child Care News
No jab no pay law to cut childcare benefits from parents who don't vaccinate their kids goes to Senate
Herlad Sun - October 20, 2015A PLAN to cut childcare benefits from parents who fail to immunise their children is a step closer to passing parliament. Only those with a valid medical reason will be exempt from the $500 million budget-saving crackdown on anti-vaxxers, under legislation which passed the lower house...
Grandparents won't be paid for childcare
SBS.com.au - October 19, 2015Treasurer Scott Morrison is not considering paying grandparents to be child carers. Independent senator Glenn Lazarus wants grandparents financially rewarded for looking after the children of working parents as part of a Senate crossbench wish-list in exchange for supporting the government's...
Government considers plan to pay grandparents who look after children of working families
9News.com.au - October 19, 2015The Turnbull Government is reportedly considering a plan to give grandparents financial incentives for looking after the children of working parents. Due to the high costs of childcare, many Australian families rely on grandparents, who in some cases cut their working hours or retire early to make...
Happy Meal ban and preschool cooking classes: Obesity jury's radical bid to fight flab
Herald Sun - Christopher Gillett - October 19, 2015HAPPY Meals would be banned and preschoolers would be made to take healthy cooking classes under a radical proposal to help solve Victoria's ballooning obesity crisis. High-sugar foods and drinks would also be prohibited from being displayed at check-out aisles to help prevent impulse...
Smoking to be banned at bus stops, taxi ranks, childcare centres and children's sporting events
The Australian - Rose Brennan October 17, 2015THE State Government will ban smoking at bus stops, taxi ranks, childcare centres and children's sporting events under a raft of proposed law changes expected to be announced today. Health Minister Cameron Dick will also investigate changes to tobacco supply licences to allow the Government...
NSW councils still unclear whether amalgamations will go ahead
ABC News - Lucy McNally and Deborah Rice - October 16, 2015Holroyd City Mayor Greg Cummings believes council amalgamations will lead to fewer council-run childcare facilities. "My fear is a corporate driven council wouldn't see the benefits to the community of having this many childcare," he said. Wendy Smith said she was concerned her childcare costs...
Unvaccinated children may dodge Victoria's no job, no play policy
Matt Johnson - Sunday Herald Sun - October 10, 2015PARENTS won't need to prove up-to-date vaccinations for their child before enrolling in childcare or kindergarten under the State Government's "no jab no play" policy. A loophole in draft legislation allows enrolments regardless of vaccination records if parents hold...
Social services to subsidise home nannies
Financial Review - Christopher Jay - October 7, 2015The federal Department of Social Services is implementing a trial program to subsidise nannies for Australian families experiencing child minding difficulties, such as parents doing shiftwork at unseasonable hours or people in regional areas lacking children's daycare facilities...
Investors target childcare centres: agents
Sydney Morning Herald - Philip Hopkins - October 7, 2015Investors are increasingly buying childcare centres, driven by strong government support for the sector, population growth and sharemarket volatility, according to commercial agents. This is pushing prices up and yields down, say Savills Australia and Burgess Rawson. Savills say that...
Takeover panel faults G8's Affinity bid
The Australian - Prashant Mehra - October 6, 2015THE Takeovers Panel has criticised childcare operator G8 Education's failed bid for rival Affinity Education after finding share trades by entities associated with outgoing G8 chair Jenny Hutson breached corporations law. THE panel on Tuesday made a declaration of "unacceptable...
Broker Watch: Bega Cheese, Dacian Gold, G8 Education, Japara Healthcare
Financial Review - Elise Shaw - October 5, 2015Australian Stock Report has a "sell" recommendation on G8 Education, the largest child care centre operator in Australia. "It didn't make sense that it became a market darling through 2013 and into early 2014," said Chris Conway, head of research at Australian Stock Report. GEM's share price...
Plan to tackle soaring childcare demand in Sydney’s eastern suburbs
Daily Telegraph - Laura Aubusson - October 5, 2015She welcomed last week’s announcement that Planning Minister Rob Stokes was forming a joint working group to make it easier to establish new childcare centres by cutting the red tape around the approval process. "The NSW Government is moving ahead on its election commitment to cut red tape...
Government to begin calling parents in vaccination push
Brisbane Times - Amy Remeikis - October 3, 2015It comes as new legislation before the Queensland Parliament will give childcare directors the right to reject a child from enrolment if they are not up to date in their vaccinations, with Queensland the latest state to support "no jab, no play" laws. The Commonwealth has also...
Extra teachers required for kindergartens could hike fees for parents
The Age - Benjamin Preiss - October 2, 2015New rules requiring more staff at kindergartens have sparked fears of increased costs for early learning centres and hefty fee hikes for some parents. One major operator of kindergarten education is calling for increased government funding to cope with the changes. From 2016...
Government seeks families wanting nannies
News.com.au - October 2, 2015Families struggling to find traditional child care can now apply to be part of the federal government's nanny trial for the next two years. As part of its planned overhaul of childcare subsidies, the government is offering payments to help cover nanny fees for 10,000 children. Families interested...
