[Greens-Media] Parents under pressure with childcare; no help on the way

[Schultz-Byard, Noah (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Parents under pressure with childcare; no help on the way

The Labor Party has used this Budget to ignore the growing crisis in childcare and have offered only disappointment instead of a relief from pressure, the Australian Greens said.

"We know that Australian mums and dads are struggling to afford childcare, but Labor has again chosen to let them down," the Greens' childcare spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"There was not one dollar announced in the Budget that will help Australian families when it comes to covering their childcare bills at the end of the week despite likely fee increases in the future.

"The childcare rebate has been frozen and will be almost $2000 out of step with indexation by the end of the forward estimates, failing to keep up with the cost of living increases families are facing.

"It was also disappointing to see that the government has chosen to ignore the option of directly funding centres through the childcare rebate, even though it would help families and providers alike.

"Reducing the financial support for parents with newborns is more unwelcome news for parents who are struggling to make ends meet.

"Rolling the baby bonus into the Family Tax Benefit is a good idea, but cutting the payment to lower income families by $3000 will just make it harder for them to get by."


Media Contact: Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760


NOAH SCHULTZ-BYARD  MEDIA ADVISER

OFFICE OF SENATOR SARAH HANSON-YOUNG
AUSTRALIAN GREENS SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
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