Paula Bennett MP
National Party Associate Education spokeswoman (Early Childhood)
& Nick Smith National Party Nelson MP

28 September 2007

Petition launched to stop gym crèche closures

Parents angry at the Government's closure of gym and pool child minding facilities around New Zealand launched a petition in Nelson today to get the Ministry of Education to back off.

"The closures are bureaucratic nonsense. These facilities do not purport to be early childhood education centres and do not receive any government subsidy. Parents should be able to judge for themselves whether the supervision of their children is adequate without the interference of busy body bureaucrats," says National's Associate Education spokeswoman (Early Childhood), Paula Bennett.

"It is a wonder that the Government even allows parents to take their own children to unlicensed homes to be looked after by unqualified parents."

Around 80 parents and children were at CityFitness's Nelson gym where the petition was launched by Paula Bennett, Nelson MP Nick Smith, and the mother behind the initiative, Sheila Scott.

The crèche at this gym was closed by the Ministry of Education after only two weeks of operation. Officials said it did not meet early childhood education regulations in respect of sleeping facilities for children, wash areas, children portfolios and staff qualifications. The Ministry has also written to nine other gyms and pools in Nelson threatening closure.

"I have been inundated with parents who are gobsmacked and angry that the Government is interfering in their life in this way. They are determined to have this decision overturned. My advice to the Minister is not to mess with gym mums," says Nelson MP Nick Smith.

"These parents live stressful busy lives and their exercise is critical to their physical and mental health. They love their children and don't need government bureaucrats who can't tell the difference between education and child minding."

The petition states: 'That Parliament stop the Ministry of Education closing child minding facilities in gyms and pools, and its threats of closing Sunday Schools, by its interpretation of early childhood education regulations and let New Zealanders get on with their lives without this unnecessary interference by Government'. It closes on 31October.

"Our hope is that this petition will inject some common sense into the Government's thinking."

ENDS

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