ABC NZ Safe For Now But Uncertainty Remains

NZEI RELEASE

6th November 2008
For Immediate Use

ABC NZ Safe For Now But Uncertainty Remains

An announcement that ABC Learning New Zealand is not being placed in receivership will be welcomed by thousands of staff and parents, but there is still uncertainty ahead, according to the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa.

The troubled Australian based child care company has been placed in receivership across the Tasman, but ABC's New Zealand operation says it is not included.

NZEI, which represents early childhood teachers, says that will bring some reassurance to the thousands of staff employed by ABC in New Zealand and the families of the more than 7,000 children enrolled in its centres.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says staff and parents will be relieved to know they won't be facing any immediate disruption, but the future of ABC is still far from clear.

"We know very little about the way ABC operates in New Zealand and how independent it is from its parent company. Just because the New Zealand arm of the business is not being placed in receivership, does not mean an end to the uncertainty. We are still calling on ABC to be as transparent as possible in the interests of its staff and the children in its care."

The Australian Government has said it had contingency plans ready should ABC be placed in receivership. NZEI will continue to monitor the situation and urges the New Zealand government to do the same.

ENDS

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