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Binding offers for 241 failed ABC Learning childcare centres are due on Wednesday, but a key government official has refused to say if he thinks they will all be sold. The federal government has provided $34 million to keep the centres, collectively known as the ABC2 Group, operating until March 31.
The measure has shored up places for almost 12,000 children. Binding offers for the centres, previously declared "unviable", are due on Wednesday, the government's childcare industry taskforce group manager, Michael Manthorpe, told a Senate estimates hearing.
The sale process is "on track" to be completed by March 31, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations official said. But Mr Manthorpe wouldn't say whether all 241 centres were likely to be sold.
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The $34 million for the unviable centres came on top of $22 million provided earlier in 2008 to keep all 1,040 ABC centres open until the end of last year.
- reprinted from The Age