Kids victimised in political crossfire

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A POLITICAL bun fight has broken out between the Federal and State Governments over the jointly funded Take a Break program.
The Federal Opposition said it will restore the $12 million slashed from the occasional care program, if elected.
The Federal Government wants to implement a national reform for longer child care.
The Brumby State Government covered the cost of the Take a Break program as an interim measure after the Federal Government cut its 70 per cent funding share last year.
The Baillieu State Government is refusing to fully fund the program, which will finish up in December.
Victorian Early Childhood Development minister Wendy Lovell said Take a Break was not viable on state funding alone.
“The funding of childcare is a Federal responsibility, but the Victorian Government has committed to continue its share of funding for Take a Break if the Federal Government also puts its money back in,” Ms Lovell said. She praised the Federal Coalition and Shadow Childcare Minister Sussan Ley for showing leadership on the issue.
“Sussan Ley and Tony Abbott have committed a Coalition Federal Government to restoring the $12 million slashed from occasional care nationally by Labor, including the funds needed to keep Take a Break going in Victoria,” Ms Lovell said. Federal Childcare Minister Kate Ellis said the Australian Government had ceased funding for neighbourhood model occasional care, which represented an investment of $1.1 million in Victoria in 2009-10.
“Although now forgoing this, the Victorian Government is receiving approximately $210.6 million for kindergartens over the next five years – an area where the Commonwealth previously had no funding responsibility,” she said.