The Coalition has made the largest-ever investment in the professional development of the long day care sector. The Long Day Care Professional Development Programme will provide $200 million for eligible services to assist in up-skilling and training early childhood educators. This will help the industry to transition to changes and new regulations that have been introduced to the sector.
All long day care educators will be eligible and providers will receive funding based on the number of full time educators they employ. Additional funding and support will be allocated to early childhood teachers in outer regional, remote or very remote areas.
The programme has been introduced after an independent report found that payments through Labor’s controversial Early Years Quality Fund were linked to union membership.
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Tourism Australia has released a new promotion Restaurant Australia as a part of their landmark campaign “There’s nothing like Australia”. Key research has found that, in Australia’s key tourism markets, food and wine are key factors in holiday destination decision making.
The Parkes Electorate has great local produce, fantastic cellar doors, restaurants and local experience and destination tourism operators. I encourage anyone involved in tourism to get involved by submitting local content to: www.Australia.com/restaurantaustralia.
Those who have visited Australia have ranked us Number 2 in the world, after France and before Italy, in terms of food and wine offerings. Show your support for local tourism through social media by using #restaurantaustralia and linking to the Restaurant Australia twitter handle.
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The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has commenced an inquiry into the Child Support Program. The inquiry will examine the effectiveness of the current system including under or over payments, flexibility for families, mediation and Family Assistance frameworks and the Family Court.
Interested parties can become involved by completing an online questionnaire available at www.aph.gov.au/childsupport.
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Next week I will be hosting Parliamentary Secretary for Communications, Paul Fletcher in the Electorate to discuss mobile phone reception and the Government’s $100 million Mobile Blackspot Programme.
After 6 years without any Federal Government investment in mobile phone infrastructure this programme is very welcome in regional Australia. The investment will also capitalise on co-investment from the private sector and result in 250-300 new or upgraded mobile base stations across Australia.
