13 November 2007

Coalition child care announcement disappointing

Early Childhood Australia, the leading national, non-government advocacy organisation for children, has responded with disappointment to the Coalition Child Care Policy changes announced yesterday by the Prime Minister.

President of Early Childhood Australia, Margaret Young, says that the 30 per cent Child Care Tax Rebate on out-of-pocket expenses announced by the Coalition is 'not new money'.

'The only change in the Coalition Policy is that the rebate will be paid in advance to services rather than retrospectively to families, which will be of assistance to families who have difficulty meeting their up-front child care fees'.

'It is disappointing that the Coalition did not at least match the Labor Party's promise of a Child Care Tax Rebate of 50 per cent of out-of-pocket expenses up to $7500 dollars,' Ms Young said.

'The Coalition's proposed Education Rebate of up to $400 dollars for preschool expenses equates to less than $8 per week for families – but it doesn't go anywhere towards supporting universal access to preschool for all four-year-olds.'

Overall, the Coalition's Child Care Policy 'lacks vision', according to Ms Young.

'What is most disappointing is that there is no commitment to a comprehensive, long-term strategy that recognises the very real and serious problems facing early childhood services today, and which moves to build a quality system into the future,' Ms Young said.

'Paid parental leave has so far been over looked by both Labor and the Coalition', Ms Young said.

'Failure to address this important issue for parents, as they decide whether to stay at home with their newborn or return to work, means that Australia remains one of the two developed countries who do not provide paid parental leave.'

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