The six billion dollar rodent was throwing cash at childcare this week, and Mark Latham was giving away one free days for all three and four year olds, and making more places in long day care and after-school care.

Why does Howard think that thowing cash at things is the only answer. Does the guys speak any other language than cash?

Forget about the cash for the moment. Which of these guys best understands early childhood education? Latham does. Listen to Latham’s comments on childcare this week (from ABC’s PM program, Monday 27 Sept):

MARK LATHAM: In so many respects this has been the missing link in our system of life long learning in Australia. The traditional thinking that learning starts with the beginning of the school years, of course, ignores the fact that from nought to four, these are the formative years, the years of brain development, language development, the little personalities and minds racing. We neglect the full potential of our children if we don’t have a comprehensive national plan for early childhood development.

We want childcare to be more than child minding– that’s an important function, it’s an important part of the work and family arguments, the labour market arguments – but for the young ones themselves, it’s an opportunity to start the formal learning process in life, and that’s an opportunity that’s too good to miss, an opportunity we’ve got to take for their benefit, an opportunity we’ve got to take as a nation.

(my emphasis added in the quote above)

And all the rodent wants to do it make the kids cheaper to run. Typical. Out of the sandpit John.