The Atitjere Child Care Centre will close its doors indefinitely on Friday 21 August due to a lack of funding from the Commonwealth Government.  This marks the third closure of a child care centre in Central Australia in the last week leaving more working parents with no child care options and a loss of real jobs.

Late last week the Central Desert Regional Council was forced to shut the Yuelamu and Nyirripi Child Care Services.

The Atitjere Centre has only been operational for 6 months and was officially opened with much fanfare in May 2015.   It was part of a Commonwealth Government’s Child Care Centre Building Program that cost tax payers in excess of $4 million. 

The Council has been forced to close the Atitjere Centre as it was losing $500 per day paying for necessary services without sufficient funding.

Council CEO Cathryn Hutton says it is a regrettable but necessary action.  “Council was forced to make this decision as it does not have the funds to cross subsidise child care.  The funding of child care services is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government. Services need to be safe and they need to be of good quality.”  Ms Hutton said.   

Adrian Dixon, Central Desert Regional Council President said it was a sad day for Atitjere families and kids.  “It’s really sad that Aboriginal children and mums and dads are the victims of Government cut backs.  For only $85,000 more per year, this centre could have stayed open. We want out kids to grow up strong and child care centres are really important in helping our families do that.”  Mr Dixon said.

The Council is calling on the Commonwealth Government to urgently reopen these centres.  “These services should be properly funded so coordinators can be employed and based in the community to supervise, train and support local workers.  We know that drive-in drive-out supervision doesn’t work”.  Mr Dixon said.

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For more details call Brad Bellette or Sonya Connellan (08) 8953 3250

Child care centres in Nyirripi and Yuelamu have closed their doors indefinitely with another in Atitjere set to follow next week, leaving working parents with nowhere to leave their kids and 15 Aboriginal people out of a job. 

The closure has been forced by the Commonwealth Government’s refusal to properly fund the centre operations.  

The centres were recently built at a cost to tax payers of over $4 million and have been operational for only 6 months.

The Central Desert Regional Council has been forced to close the centres as they are losing $1000 per day.  

Council President Adrian Dixon said this is a ridiculous decision and an attack on Aboriginal families.  “Government talks about closing the gap, getting kids to school and adults to work.  It sounds good, but they say one thing and do another”. Mr Dixon said. 

Council CEO Cathryn Hutton says it’s sad that the Government doesn’t seem to see the bigger picture.  “The first 5 years of life are the most critical.  Is depriving little kids access to early childhood learning over an $85,000 dispute per childcare centre worth the long term cost to the community and our society?” Ms Hutton asked. 

The Council is calling on the Government to urgently provide the proper level of funding to get these centres reopened.  “If the Government wants to choose a new child care provider, so be it. It doesn’t have to be our Council” Mr Dixon said.  “But it shouldn’t be at a discount rate.  Kids and parents shouldn’t bear the cost of Government’s meanness.  Our kids deserve the same high quality, consistent and supportive environment that kids in the cities get”.  It should be nothing less”. Mr Dixon said.

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For more details call Brad Bellette or Sonya Connellan (08) 8953 3250