Hartsuyker Welcomes Coalition’s Real Action On Child Care

July 26,  2010

The Coalition’s plan to spend an extra $89m to make child care more affordable was welcomed today by The Nationals’ Federal Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker.

“This will provide practical help to many Australian families,” Mr Hartsuyker said.  “We know that many parents, mothers in particular, have to leave their jobs or reduce their hours because child care costs are too high. Our initiative means that more mothers will be able to stay in work, improving family finances and their own employment prospects.”

In this year’s Budget, the Rudd-Gillard Government removed indexation of the Child Care Rebate which increased child care costs by around $300 per child per year.  The Coalition will reinstate the rebate which covers 50 per cent of out-of-pocket child care expenses up to an annual cap of $7,500. The Coalition will also have the rebate paid weekly and directly to child care providers.  It is currently paid quarterly and in arrears to the family.  The change would ease families’ cash flow, improve efficiency in the sector and reduce red tape.

The $12.6m of Occasional Care funding cut by the Rudd-Gillard Government will also be reinstated, giving parents greater flexibility and part-time access to child care in emergencies or other times of unforeseen need.

“What you get from the Coalition on child care is real action, putting up to $300 per child per year back into the family budget. What you get from Labor is another broken promise.  They said they would build 260 child care and early learning centres on school and community land to end the ‘double drop-off.’

“After nearly three years in office, they have built only four. They claim there are 34 on the drawing board but in April they announced that the remaining 222 would not be built.

“The Coalition delivers.  Labor just lets you down.”