Caritas Director Julianne Hickey says the Catholic agency assesses the impact of Budget measures through the lens of the common good: what will contribute to and achieve the full human potential of each of us and of all of us? ‘Catholic social teaching sees a person as more than their cost or value on a balance sheet. A myopic view of people simply as economic units cannot enhance our wellbeing as a society.'

Mrs Hickey says it is hard to see the full impact of Budget changes because, while the detail of new spending has been given, the detail of ‘savings' or cost-cutting is less transparent. However, she says aspects of the Budget seem hard to understand or even illogical, particularly where funding cut-backs are occurring apparently in areas of priority to government.

‘For example, it is shortsighted to set goals that beneficiaries with young children will return to the workforce and that participation in early childhood education will increase, while simultaneously making formal childcare less affordable by freezing childcare subsidies. It is shortsighted to open an Advanced Technology Institute to increase skills in science and technology, while simultaneously eliminating student allowances for post-graduate study.

‘Similarly, it is shortsighted to set goals to increase educational achievement at NCEA level, while reducing class-to-teacher ratios. And it is shortsighted to partially sell state-owned power companies to fund infrastructure development in rail - which is only required because of past, failed experiments in privatisation.'

Read Caritas Press Release

Image: Zimbio

New legislation, to be enacted next year, makes it an offense for teachers to put students having a tantrum into "time out" or giving them any form of inappropriate discipline. It's the same law, the Education and Care Services National Act, that also prevents children from decorating a Christmas tree or going on an Easter egg hunt.

Supervisors must "ensure that a child being educated and cared for by the service is not separated from other children for any reason other than illness or an accident".

Children cannot be "required to undertake activities that are inappropriate, having regard to each family's family and cultural values, age and physical and intellectual development".

Breaking the law makes the childcare centre liable for a $50,000 fine and the individual teacher liable for a $10,000 fine.

The regulations also require family carers, who normally look after a handful of children in their homes, to ensure regular visitors are "fit and proper persons".

Criminal checks would have to be carried out on any neighbours, friends or relatives who visit while children are present on more than three days in a month, or seven days a year.

Source

• Newstalk ZB
• Herald-Sun