30 March 2015
Welcome to our March edition of Engage. We plan to bring these newsletters to you monthly from now on, so I hope that you find this regular communication from ECMS helpful and informative.
I wish to thank all the families who signed our copies of The Smart Start petition, calling on the government for continued investment in early childhood education and care in Australia, continuing quality reforms and providing greater affordability and accessibility, especially for those most vulnerable in our community. Collectively, the petition has over 13,000 signatures and is being presented to the Senate this week.
The window of opportunity to influence decisions around the Federal Budget and Families Package is closing – but there is still time to have an impact. I urge you all to consider contacting your local MP through the Smart Start website – it’s very easy to do. Simply fill in your postcode and the site will generate the contact details of your local Federal Member of Parliament (MP), as well as a recommended message, subject line and more. In a few short moments you can contribute to a collective and very worthy cause.
Alongside the Smart Start petition and reaching out to Federal MPs in our local areas, we are also actively meeting with State and Federal Government in their consultations around the Families Package and key issues such as funding for Universal Access to 15 hours of kindergarten. We are encouraged by the fact that Treasurer Joe Hockey has listed childcare as a top priority for the Government, however the detail of what this looks like is yet to be seen. We will be monitoring this closely and responding as details unfold. These are big decisions for the future of Australian families, and as representatives of thousands of children and families, we feel it is our responsibility to advocate for your needs and interests.
Alongside the Smart Start petition and reaching out to Federal MPs in our local areas, we are also actively meeting with State and Federal Government in their consultations around the Families Package and key issues such as funding for Universal Access to 15 hours of kindergarten. We are encouraged by the fact that Treasurer Joe Hockey has listed childcare as a top priority for the Government, however the detail of what this looks like is yet to be seen. We will be monitoring this closely and responding as details unfold. These are big decisions for the future of Australian families, and as representatives of thousands of children and families, we feel it is our responsibility to advocate for your needs and interests.
I hope you enjoy some quality time with your family and friends over the Easter break.
Warm regards,
Bernie