Kate Lundy today visited a local child care centre, Alkira Community Child Care Centre, Charnwood, to talk to staff and parents about Labor’s plans to improve the quality and affordability of child care in the ACT.
Earlier this year the Productivity Commission released figures that revealed that Canberra is amongst the most expensive in the country for child care, paying on average $265 a week for long day care. That is $30 more a week than the national average,
Labor understands the increasing financial pressures on working families. That is why Federal Labor has a comprehensive plan to improve the affordability of child care including:
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Increasing the Child Care Tax Rebate from 30 per cent to 50 per cent – up to $7,500 a year, pay it every three months and eventually speed it up to every fortnight. |
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Investing in up to 260 new child care centres on school sites and community land. |
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Providing a universal preschool year for all four year old children – 15 hours a week for forty weeks a year of fun, play-based learning delivered by a qualified teacher. |
In addition, Federal Labor has announced it will introduce tough new national quality standards for child care centres to give parents peace of mind – investing $77 million – over the next four years.
A Rudd Labor Government will also boost the quality of training and educational financial support for child care workers.
Federal Labor’s $77 million Plan for High Quality Child Care has three key elements:
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Tough standards including an A to E system and regular unannounced spot checks. |
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$3.5 million new healthy eating and physical activity guidelines in child care. |
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$73.5 million to get rid of TAFE fees for up to 8,000 child care diplomas, pay half the HECS for 10,000 early childhood education graduates and create new university places so our children receive high quality early learning and care. |
When it comes to child care, Federal Labor has a comprehensive plan to make high quality child care more affordable for parents.
Contact: Rachel Allen – 0418 488 295
