Disagreement and confusion over child care continues in Opposition ranks.
During the launch today of the Opposition community services policy, Liberal spokesman George Strickland criticised National spokesperson Dr Hilda Turnbull, for being out of touch on child care.
Mr Strickland distanced himself from Dr Turnbull's comments in Parliament that child care, outside the home, was a waste of valuable funding resources. He was launching a policy which belatedly committed the Opposition to existing State-Federal child care agreements.
Family Minister Eric Ripper said today the Opposition was failing to patch up a philosophical split between the Liberals and Nationals on child care.
"It is interesting that the urgent need for child care expansion was ignored in Liberal policies launched just a week ago and suddenly it has emerged deep in their community services document, after the Government pointed out this failing," Mr Ripper said.
Dr Turnbull was on record as having told Parliament that women should not be encouraged into the workforce through the provision of child care, when unemployment was high.
Liberal Mandurah MLA Roger Nicholls was also on record in Parliament as saying '.....We need to get back to the situation in society where people are responsible for the children they bring into this world. They should not expect child care facilities to be provided as an endless resource.'
Mr Ripper said working parents should carefully consider this confused and contradictory Opposition position, and compare it with the firm Lawrence Government commitment to expand all forms of child care.
