Wednesday, 11 December 2024
NCOSS has welcomed the Prime Minister’s election commitment to a childcare subsidy for three days a week for families earning up to $530,000 a year.
NCOSS CEO said this was a good step towards implementing universal childcare, which the peak body has advocated for over many years.
“We know that families living on a low income have been delaying sending their children to early education or reducing the number of days they attend because of the cost,” Ms Varian said.
“Childcare is one of the biggest financial stressors on families across Australia.
“This is particularly the case for low-income families who are forced to choose between paying their energy bills or putting food on the table.
“The childcare system has become so unaffordable that it’s cheaper to send your children to an elite Sydney private school than to daycare.”
Ms Varian was pleased to see the Prime Minister commit to scrapping the activity test which determines the level of childcare subsidies parents receive based on the hours they work in a fortnight.
“The Productivity Commission recommended the activity test be abolished in September this year, so I am relieved to see the Prime Minister adopt that sensible recommendation,” Ms Varian said.
“We know that access to early education is crucial to setting children up for future success, ensuring they are school ready and disrupting the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage.”
This announcement is off the back of NCOSS releasing new research which revealed the cost of childhood poverty in NSW is almost $60 billion a year.
“We cannot shift the needle on childhood poverty if we keep doing the same things,” Ms Varian said.
“We are glad to see the Government is listening to our feedback and we look forward to reviewing this policy in more detail.”
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