1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: Well, as you've heard, the NT Coroner has made seven 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: recommendations following an inquest into the death of a twenty 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: two month old girl who died at a Humpty Doo 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: childcare center. The coroner, Elizabeth Armitich, found that Ebonie Thompson 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: died from brain damage after her neck became stuck between 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: gate loops while she was trying to look over at 7 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: chickens in twenty twenty three. The gate was in a 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: blind spot and there was inadequate supervision of children in 9 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: the playground with no yard checks conducted before going to lunch. 10 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: That is what the coroner's reporters said, and the recommendations 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: now include strengthening fencing standards, documenting fencing and blind spot inspections, 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: and a supervision ordered of all childcare centers in the 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,639 Speaker 1: Northern Territory. The coroner has also recommended the Northern Territory 14 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: government deliver an awareness campaign on the entrapment and strangulation 15 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: risks of loop top fencing that could be called Ebene's message. 16 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: Now we ask the Chief Minister Leofanocchio about this. Yesterday 17 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: she said that the Northern Territory Government is looking into 18 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: those recommendations. Extensively and they will not be sitting on them. 19 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: They will make sure that there is an extensive look 20 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: at those before any kind of announcement is made. Now 21 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: joining us on the line is Territory Childcare Group Director 22 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: Sarah Lloyd. Good morning, Sarah. I seem to be having 23 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: a bit of an issue there with the phone line. 24 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: Bear with me a moment, hopefully I've got Sarah now. 25 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 2: Good morning, Sarah, good morning. 26 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: Sorry to keep you waiting there. Now, Sarah, what is 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: your reaction to the recommendations from the coronial inquest? 28 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? So, I mean, anytime you know, a child's harm 29 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: is devastating for everybody, And I probably don't want to 30 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: talk about the specifics of your case, but I can 31 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: talk to you about supervision and fencing and so forth. 32 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 2: So I can say earlier this year, like much earlier 33 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 2: this year, every education and care service did do an 34 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,079 Speaker 2: supervision audit and it was a very robust and quite 35 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: an extensive procedure where each service was created a supervision plan, 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: looked at blind spots, looked at risk minimization, and so 37 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 2: a large piece of that work has already taken place, 38 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,679 Speaker 2: and that included all all services outside school of ours care, 39 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 2: family day care, center based care and preschools. And it 40 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: was a robust procedure where it was like flaw plans, 41 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 2: risk assessments and looking, you know, really looking at that 42 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: active supervision. You know, we have to be mindful that 43 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: we don't want children in a fish bowl where where 44 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 2: you know there's inherent blind spots, you know, in any 45 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: like in the family home in a sense, you know, 46 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 2: behind a couch, you know, there's never going to be 47 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 2: complete flow through vision, you know, three sixty vision, and 48 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 2: we wouldn't want that for our children. But I do think, 49 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 2: you know, it does go back to that act of supervision. 50 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 2: And that's a term that's going around a lot at 51 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 2: the moment where we're not just talking about supervision. We're 52 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: act definitely supervising and they are two different things. And 53 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 2: that's you know, that's where we need a skilled and 54 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: engaged workforce. Who are you know, who are prioritizing that 55 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: engagement and that supervision of children. 56 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: But so, Sarah, as it currently stands, that supervision audit 57 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: has already happened across the across the Northern Territory earlier 58 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: this year, yep. 59 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 2: Yes it has. 60 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's I mean that is good to hear. I 61 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: think that it's sounds like by the sounds of it, 62 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: you know, the industry sort of acting quickly as well 63 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: to try and make sure that that children are as 64 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: safe as they possibly can be. 65 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, And I think that you know, thousands of 66 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: educators care for children safely every day. And you know, 67 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 2: I think, you know, a tragedy like this is terrible, 68 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: and you know, we can only learn from it and 69 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: and sort of you know, continue to improve practice. 70 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: Now, tell me in terms of what the coroner has recommended, 71 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: I mean, do you think that some of what she 72 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: has recommended goes far enough? Or are there other areas 73 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: where you think there could be improvements across centers around 74 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: the territory. 75 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 2: I mean, there's always room for improvement for everything. But 76 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 2: what I have been saying is, you know, our National 77 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 2: Quality Framework is a robust, you know, gold standard regulatory framework. 78 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 2: You know, it covers the learning part and covers the 79 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 2: health and safety and risk and it is a pretty 80 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 2: strong framework. But I think the piece that that it 81 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: is it's like people driven. So if if we're not 82 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 2: compliant to that and we're not following that, that's you know, 83 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 2: that's where you know, as things can happen in terms 84 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 2: of like you know, in you know, more regulation. I 85 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 2: don't think that we need that, but what we do 86 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 2: need is good people in the workforce that follow you know, 87 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: that follow the rules. And I do think we needed 88 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 2: to make a distinction between the Northern Territory and other jurisdictions. 89 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: We're quite small and our regulatory authority QC and T 90 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: is very front center. You know, they are very present. 91 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 2: You know, they're you know, they're doing spot checks there. 92 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: They are out and about for sure, and being proactive 93 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 2: around you know, compliance and regulation. I think in other 94 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: jurisdiction it's volume. I remember many years ago having an 95 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 2: assessor come from New South Wales and they were saying 96 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 2: that the only you know, contact that a regulatory authority 97 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: has with the service was every three years, like that 98 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: was the only time they had a stepped toward in 99 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 2: the premises. But certainly not the case here. The regulatory 100 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 2: author is very visible and I think you know, we 101 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: can take some comfort in that that you know, it's 102 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 2: not far and nothing far away. 103 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: I agree. I actually think for a lot of parents 104 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: listening this morning, they will take comfort in that fact 105 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,239 Speaker 1: and and want to know that that is happening, particularly 106 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: as we saw well the other terrible news which unfolded overnight. 107 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: The ABC four Corners investigation found finding almost one hundred 108 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: and fifty childcare workers have been accused or convicted of 109 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: child sexual abuse. I mean this is nationally obviously, I 110 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: want to be really clear on that. It's a national story. 111 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: So child sexual abuse or inappropriate conduct, but with less 112 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: than two percent convicted, meaning you know, many thousands have 113 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: gotten away with it, Like it just blows my mind, ye, Sarah, Yeah, 114 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: same here. And you must be like as somebody who 115 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: you know as an early childhood educator and the territory 116 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: childcare group director, somebody I'm sure who places you know, 117 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: so much effort into the work that you do, it 118 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: must actually make you really upset and really angry that 119 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: you've got pieces of garbage like this getting around. Yeah. 120 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely, And it was interesting, you know, because you know 121 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 2: the initial thought of the provider, you know, you want 122 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 2: to protect your staff and you sort of want to 123 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 2: jump in to the defending education and care, you know, 124 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: but that like that was a bit hard to swallow. 125 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 2: The you know, those kind of statistics and you really 126 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 2: do think, like, how does that happen, and I mean, 127 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 2: I guess, I guess. I mean, and part of the 128 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 2: reforms that are going to happen I hopefully will address this. 129 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 2: There are some shoan keeper ida's out there. I'm going 130 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: to say in the NT we're pretty protected from that. 131 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 2: But I do think you know, the measures that are 132 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: coming in in in you know, particularly the biggest states 133 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: on New soThe Victoria, you know where they're increasing compliance 134 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 2: and you know there's just more funding going into administering 135 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: the regulatory framework. You know, it has to have with 136 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 2: some results, but yeah, I don't know. It sort of 137 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 2: blew my mind a bit. I felt like very uneasy. 138 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: Yes, I am here as somebody who you know, who 139 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: had my children in childcare. I've got somebody at work 140 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: here with me today is just send her a little 141 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: one off to childcare. You know, we entrust childcare workers with, 142 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: you know, with the most important thing in our lives, 143 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: our children, and the large majority of you you know, 144 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: take that responsibility so seriously. But it just it just 145 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: makes me question, how do we end up with people 146 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: who are literal pedophiles working in childcare? 147 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it goes back to the health you know, screening. 148 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: I mean, and you know, you know, vigilance and a 149 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 2: workplace culture around things that you know, I'm going to 150 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 2: say that you know from some of the things that 151 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: they said in the report last night that that's just 152 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 2: poor practice. Well you know they were saying, you know, 153 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 2: that person was able to video someone for up to 154 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 2: thirty minutes. That's like, I just don't can't envision any 155 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: kind of quality education care services that you would just 156 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 2: even have that opportunity. That seems like extraordinary. You know, 157 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: there's people everywhere, you know, in centers you need to 158 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 2: be alone like that for such an extended period of time. 159 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 2: I just don't know that that's nothing more than poor practice, 160 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 2: and the Senate coordinator or the director of that center 161 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 2: should be held accountable. 162 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: For that one hundred percent. How like do you think 163 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: that there? I mean, I know it's a big call 164 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: to make. You can't possibly know what's going on in 165 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: every childcare center across the Northern Territory, but you know 166 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: there's going to be a lot of parents sending their 167 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: kids off to or their children off to childcare this 168 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: morning who might be feeling really uneasy. I mean, the 169 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: feeling that you and I have got that would be 170 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,199 Speaker 1: magnified even more so. I'm assuming if they're dropping their 171 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 1: babies off today, Like, what would you say to those parents? 172 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I think that as much when I 173 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 2: was don't want to diminish you know, what they were 174 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 2: saying in there, you know, the majority nine point wet's say, 175 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 2: seven percent of people doing the right thing, and absolutely 176 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 2: would have zero tolerance to that. I think. I do 177 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 2: think in the NT, you know, as services are of 178 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 2: you know, a higher quality, we don't have those sort 179 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: of like sort of outlies and you know those you know, 180 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 2: even one of those services they showed last night where 181 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 2: it's sort of seemed really substandard. I just don't think 182 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 2: we have that here. You know, in our services we 183 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 2: have viewing windows. So even if you make you we're 184 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 2: in a change room alone, that there's windows all around 185 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 2: the so to have like privacy, I guess privacy level 186 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: for the child, but you know. 187 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: It is that you can see what the car is doing. 188 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, you can see what's going on. Yeah, tell me. 189 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: I mean in terms of one of the things that 190 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: stood out to me as well is you know that staffing, 191 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: and particularly casual staffing, is that something that we grapple 192 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: with here in the Northern Territory. From your perspective, yeah, 193 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: it is. 194 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 2: And I do think that at the moment, you know, 195 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: like this year then SECT has taken a bit of 196 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 2: a bit of a blow, I think, and we are 197 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 2: I do have like serious concerns about attracting and retaining 198 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 2: staff when you know, you know, when sort of parents 199 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 2: the distrust or general community distrust, it sort of puts 200 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 2: a shadow over something. You know, early childhood is an 201 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,959 Speaker 2: amazing sector. You know, small brains developing every day. It 202 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: is an amazing thing to see that there is a 203 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 2: little bit of a shadow and it concerns me that 204 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 2: you know that people will think do I want to 205 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 2: go into that sector and then we end up with 206 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 2: the wrong people in there. 207 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: What do you think, you know, from after watching that 208 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: overnight and taking the Northern Territory into account, what if 209 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: any changes do you think need to happen for us 210 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: here in the Northern Territory. 211 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's an interesting question. Workforce retention is definitely well, 212 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: you know, new people coming in. Yeah, I do think 213 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 2: we need to have a I guess, like more of 214 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 2: a campaign about what early learning is and what that 215 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 2: looks like. Because we don't want to go to like 216 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 2: a bubble wrap, you know, where everything's about safety, you know, 217 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: I mean safety obviously is a parent paramount, but then 218 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 2: there's a late you know, there's layers around early learning 219 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 2: in there too, but it is going back to that 220 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,679 Speaker 2: same messaging as well around get to know your service, 221 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 2: you know, see what happens, to spend time now and 222 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 2: see the interactions, because it's pretty obvious, you know when 223 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 2: you when you step into a service where you know 224 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 2: how how you feel about it. 225 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: I agree with you, and I reckon you know, when 226 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:46,719 Speaker 1: you're in there, when you're dropping the kids off, when 227 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: you're picking them up, when you're spending a bit of 228 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: time in there talking to you know, to people that 229 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: are working in that center. I'm a big one for 230 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: you know, trusting your instinct and if you get a 231 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: bad vibe, and I'm sure that you you know, you 232 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: maybe feel this at different times as a director you 233 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: go nu, yep, that person's just not the right fit 234 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: to work here, or you know there's just something not 235 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: quite right. 236 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And you know, with the commonwealths Government has 237 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 2: there's a range of measures that are coming in which 238 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 2: are are broadly positive you know, there's going to be 239 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: an educator register, so there's a national register, so that's 240 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 2: flip flopping around places they will be able to track that. 241 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 2: They're a new child safety which is not just mandatory reporting. 242 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 2: Mandatory reporting is essential, but you know, anyone can cite 243 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 2: the whole you're required to mandatory report. But this is 244 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 2: actually going to be child safe training, which I think 245 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 2: is a really great measure. And then one of the 246 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: other things that's going to be coming in which I'm 247 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 2: not I'm not sure if to find a detail has 248 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 2: been worked out about this, but currently you can get 249 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 2: sanctioned under the Commonwealth like Department of Education for CCA 250 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 2: child Care City compliance, and what they're looking at doing 251 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 2: is linking you know, consistently underperforming services where essentially your 252 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 2: childcare subsidy will be cut off. So you'll get sanctioned 253 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 2: for quality as well as like financial administration, and so 254 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 2: that that will be a measure to move those shonky 255 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 2: ones on. 256 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: I think that's a good thing because then you know, 257 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: you don't want those shonky operators able to continue to 258 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: operate in the way that they are. 259 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 2: No and no one in the early childhood sector would 260 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: either like you're not going to get anyone who's going 261 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 2: to support, you know, under ratioed. You know, the premises 262 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 2: being you know, not meeting any any kind of standard 263 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 2: or constantly working towards making a premises meeting the standard. 264 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 2: You know, there's got to be a limit, there's got 265 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 2: to be a cutoff point. And because I guess the 266 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 2: government doesn't directly fund services, that's where that's where some 267 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 2: of the tension lies. If we were block funded, but 268 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 2: it would be different. But because the funding goes to 269 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 2: the parent, then the parent goes to the serve and 270 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 2: chooses the service. So yeah, so it is a bit 271 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 2: different than what I think. People get a bit confused 272 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 2: about how that works. So we're not directly funded at all. 273 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: No, it comes through that payment, through. 274 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 2: That payment that have passed from the parent to the service. Yeah. 275 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: Well, Sarah, look, I really appreciate your time this morning. 276 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: I always do. Thank you very much for having a 277 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: chat with us and you know, giving us that perspective 278 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: from the Northern territory. I think it's really important. Thank you, 279 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: thank you, Thanks so much.