Family First National Director and NSW Legislative Council candidate Lyle Shelton has rejected comments by Finance Minister Katy Gallagher claiming “the sooner you get a child into early education or care, the better prepared they are” for school.
Mr Shelton said Senator Gallagher’s remarks revealed the contradiction at the heart of Labor’s childcare agenda: claiming to support “choice” while using tax, welfare and workplace policy to funnel families into institutional childcare whether they want it or not.
“Family First is determined to ensure every Australian family has the opportunity to care for newborns and toddlers at home without being economically corralled by government policy into industrialised childcare,” Mr Shelton said.
“That means recognising the enormous social value of mothers and fathers who sacrifice income and career advancement to personally care for their own children in the early years.
“Katy Gallagher says she won’t tell parents what to do, but Labor’s policy settings heavily favour dual-income households and institutional childcare while penalising families who want one parent at home.”
Mr Shelton commended Nationals leader Matt Canavan and the Coalition for at least recognising that many families want greater support to care for their children themselves.
“Matt Canavan is right to say the tax system should encourage parental bonds rather than punish families for wanting to spend time with newborn children,” he said.
“Childcare works for some families and Family First does not condemn those who use it. But governments should not pretend the evidence is settled that earlier and earlier separation of babies and toddlers from their mothers is always best.”
Mr Shelton pointed to research presented through the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship network by psychoanalyst Erica Komisar, who has warned about the developmental and emotional consequences of prolonged institutional childcare for very young children.
“In her ARC paper Choices: Self-Focus or Sacrifice, Erica Komisar cites evidence showing babies and toddlers experience elevated stress hormones when separated for long periods from their primary attachment figure, usually their mother,” Mr Shelton said.
“She argues that secure maternal attachment in the first three years is foundational for emotional regulation, mental health and healthy social development.
“This directly contradicts the simplistic political slogan that the earlier children enter childcare the better.”
Mr Shelton also referenced reporting on Erica Komisar’s ARC Sydney presentation, The Dangers of Institutional Childcare in the Early Years, which highlighted concerns about prolonged institutional care for babies and toddlers.
Mr Shelton said Family First believed governments should stop treating children primarily as economic units designed to maximise workforce participation statistics.
“Children are not commodities of the labour market,” he said.
“The first duty of public policy should be the wellbeing of children, not simply boosting GDP by pushing both parents into the workforce as quickly as possible after birth.”
Mr Shelton said Family First would continue advocating policies that strengthen families, including tax and welfare reforms that restore genuine choice to parents.
“A truly family-friendly society would stop penalising mothers who want to spend the precious early years nurturing their own children,” he said.
“Families should be free to choose childcare if they want it, but they should be equally free to choose parental care without suffering severe financial disadvantage because of government policy.”
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