Media Release

2nd November 2001

Childcare Costs Could Rise Dramatically - Donnelly

“The Minister of Education’s response to a question in the House has alarming implications for many childcare centres and parents,” New Zealand First Education Spokesperson Hon Brian Donnelly said today.

“When asked if he would guarantee that any policy changes on required staffing for early childhood centers would be accompanied by funding increases the Minister said “no”.

If the recommendations of the Early Childhood Strategic Planning Working Groups report are adopted it will mean huge staffing cost increases. Staffing for the under two year olds for example, would be required to be almost double what it is presently.

If the Minister will not guarantee funding the additional costs, then parents will have to pay.

“This will particularly disadvantage solo mums. They will pay the price for this political pay-back,” said Mr Donnelly.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>