runner,

Any opinion on the topic of this discussion?

Hi Foxy glad you asked. Much happier for Peter Dutton to give a french sheila a visa to look after kids than the killer that the opposition Immigration shadow minister asked for.

runner,

Which killer was that?

And, you still haven't answered the topic of this
discussion - which has nothing to do with Mr Dutton's
problems in Parliament.

The question being asked here is:

Are au-pairs a good substitute for formal childcare?

Leave Mr Dutton out of it - he can solve his own problems
of his eligibility to sit in Parliament or whether he
mislead Parliament about his dealings with au-pairs.

This has nothing to do with this topic.

Hi Foxy

Are au-pairs a good substitute for formal childcare?

very hard to generalise on this. I am no fan of soviet style child care centres. Every time my grandson goes to one he ends up catcing some stomach bug, cold, flu etc. I imagine some au pairs are fantastic while some just want a ticket to the promised land. Encouragement for mums and dads to bring up small kids is by far the healthiest in my opinion.

runner,

I totally agree. I did not work until my children
were around four years old - and then I also had
grandparents who helped out. I think that the first
years are so important for mum's to be home - if
it's at all possible - but of course for single
parents and nowadays two incomes are needed,
unfortunately. Some people have no choice in the
matter. People do the best with what they've got.
Working part-time is another option for many
families.

runner,

Yes. A lot of hoo hah about useful and harmless au pairs on working holidays from people who preach open borders. Of course, it's nothing to do with au pairs and visas at all. It's all about denigrating Dutton, one of the few conservatives left in almost-Labor Liberal party, and one of the few who stands up to the raving left.

Who's doing the raving here?

Over and over again!

Tsk. tsk!